CASTL Announces Location for Quebec Biomanufacturing Training Facility
Charlottetown, PE and Montreal, QC – The Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL) announced today its expansion into Quebec with the location of their future Biomanufacturing Training Facility in Montreal.
Located at 4100 Molson Street, in the heart of the Technopôle Angus, the new 4544 square foot training facility will contain leading-edge pilot-scale bioprocessing equipment that will allow employees to gain practical skills that are immediately transferable to process scale-up and clean room environments. The facility will be equipped with laboratories and classroom spaces built to deliver the highest quality bioprocessing training. With this new facility, CASTL can deliver on-site customized hands-on and theoretical training for entry-level employees through to senior management and post-secondary students.
“CASTL is excited to buildout partnerships with academia, industry, and government in Quebec to address the future skills needs of the bioscience sector. This new facility located in Technopôle Angus responds to the demand for highly skilled personnel in Quebec’s growing biomanufacturing sector. We’re pleased to partner with Société de développement Angus on this initiative,” said Penny Walsh-McGuire, Executive Director, CASTL.
Located just a few kilometres from downtown Montreal in the heart of the Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie borough, Technopôle Angus is a significant health care hub in East Montreal and houses public and private medical clinics and many organizations offering research, health, and wellness services.
“The arrival of the CASTL Biomanufacturing Training Facility at Technopôle Angus marks a step forward in our efforts to establish the Personalized Healthcare Zone in eastern Montreal. We are looking forward to trainees coming to the facility and discovering everything this site has to offer,” said Christian Yaccarini, CEO of la Société de développement Angus.
In April 2022, CASTL announced the intent to establish a biomanufacturing training facility in Quebec. The facility development is made possible through a contribution of $2.5 million from the Quebec Government. It is expected to open in Fall 2023.
“This new training centre will strengthen our province’s expertise in the areas of health and innovation, as well as bolster Quebec and Montreal’s position as leaders in the life sciences field. It’s a major asset to develop and attract new talents in the east end of Montreal,” said Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montreal Region.
A national initiative supporting Canada’s life sciences ecosystem, CASTL offers training specializing in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. CASTL is supported by National Lead Partner adMare BioInnovations and its adMare Academy.
“As a major hub of biotechnology and innovation, Montreal is a phenomenal choice for CASTL’s new biomanufacturing training facility,” says Christine Allen, adMare’s VP of Ecosystems. “adMare is thrilled to welcome CASTL to Montreal, where we can continue to work closely together to train the talent in the Canadian life sciences ecosystem, as their national lead partner.”
In September 2022, CASTL opened its first biomanufacturing training facility in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Additional facility locations within Canada are being considered to ensure broad geographic access to this type of critical training.
For more information on CASTL’s Biomanufacturing Training Programs visit www.castlcanada.ca or email info@castlcanada.ca.