American vaccine maker Moderna formally announced long-awaited plans Friday to set up its promised Canadian biomanufacturing plant in Montreal.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Quebec Premier François Legault were alongside Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel for the announcement in the city.
“It’s another step in the right direction,” Trudeau.
The $180-million factory will have the capacity to produce up to 100 million doses of mRNA vaccines every year, he said. It will created hundreds of jobs in the region.
READ MORE: New Moderna plant welcomed by public health experts but more details needed
Moderna’s new facility will be the company’s first in Canada and will produce mRNA vaccines not only against COVID-19 but also ones that target various respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
A source close to Legault confirmed earlier this week that Montreal was selected as the location for the plant. Both the city and the Greater Toronto Area were in the running for the plant, but a beaming Legault said Friday his province ultimately emerged victorious.
He joked that he was “happy to see Quebec winning.”
“Quebec won the battle for the Moderna plant,” he said. “What a great announcement.”
Legault said the project will better prepare Quebec for future pandemics by reinforcing domestic supply chains and vaccine independence.
Details of the agreement between Moderna and the Quebec and federal governments weren’t released. It’s still unclear how much public money will go toward financing the $180-million facility. A Canadian government news release on Friday said the parties were still working out the details of the deal.
It’s also unclear where exactly the plant will be built. Trudeau told reporters it will be in the “Greater Montreal area” and the decision will be made by Moderna.
Last August, Moderna signed an initial agreement with the federal government to bring such a plant to the country.
Bancel said he believed the new facility would allow Canada to be ready for the next virus.
The agreement includes both production and vaccine research components. The building is expected to be constructed by 2024.
— with files from Global News’ Annabelle Olivier and The Canadian Press
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