102nd Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition

They will speak to the CRO model of operations and career opportunities for chemists in the CRO industry.  From 2007 to 2010, a huge reduction in pharmaceutical R&D spending occurred in Canada due to the closure of numerous Canadian R&D centers owned by multi-national pharmaceutical companies.¹ Many Canadian chemists took the initiative to found contract research laboratories which support pharmaceutical R&D from discovery through preclinical and clinical testing.  In a recent study initiated by BioQuébec², CROs which provide services for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries were identified as a major socio-economic engine.  In Québec, for example, some 71 CROs were identified with total revenues of greater than $550 million; encompassing more than 4300 employees with total annual salaries of $224 million.  Across Canada, as of 2016, some 325 CROs existed with the majority in British Columbia (40), Alberta (32), Ontario (153) and Québec (71). ³