Key findings

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The number of innovative biotechnology firms grew to 532 in 2005 from 490 in 2003, an increase of 9%, according to new preliminary data from the Biotechnology Use and Development Survey. This was lower than the 31% increase between 2003 and 2001 when there were 375 firms. Between 2005 and 1997, when there were 282 firms, the compound annual growth rate has been 8%.
An innovative biotechnology firm is a firm that uses biotechnology for the purpose of developing new products or processes.
Combined, these 532 companies generated revenues of $4.2 billion in 2005. Their spending on research and development was $1.7 billion.
Large biotech companies, those with at least 150 employees, represented only 10% of the 532 biotech firms in 2005, but accounted for 67% of biotech revenues. Three-quarters of all companies were small firms, that is, they had fewer than 50 employees.
By contrast, biotechnology related R&D was more equally distributed between the three sizes of firms.
More than 70% of the innovative biotechnology firms were in three provinces: Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. These provinces continue to comprise the bulk of Canadian biotechnology activity, accounting for more than 90% of biotechnology revenues in 2005.
Ontario firms led the way in biotechnology revenues, research and development expenditures and employment, whereas those in Quebec accounted for the largest share of biotechnology firms.
Biotechnology related to Human Health remained the most significant biotechnology sector in terms of number of firms, employment, R&D and revenues.
The number of employees with biotechnology responsibilities increased to 13,400 from about 11,900 in 2003.