Moncton, NB - According to the results of an independent study released today, Greater Moncton can solidify its position as the Health Hub of New Brunswick by enhancing collaboration between industry and government stakeholders and developing more focused growth strategies.

The study entitled Greater Moncton Health and Life Sciences Industry Development Roadmap was initiated by Enterprise Greater Moncton after being issued a mandate to develop a regional health strategy by the Mayors of Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview. An advisory committee made up of industry, research and educational stakeholders was established to oversee the process.

"The report points out that we have an excellent foundation on which to build," said John Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Greater Moncton. "We have the highest concentration of healthcare workers and biomedical research in the province, we have a growing number of private sector companies in this industry located in Greater Moncton, and as the KPMG Competitive Alternatives Study points out, we are among the lowest cost locations in the world for this sector."

The Report identifies six areas of opportunity for growth including:

1. Health & Life Sciences Research
2. Innovating Health Service Delivery
3. e-Health
4. Health & Life Sciences Business Support Services
5. Pharmaceuticals/Nutraceuticals
6. Education and Training

However significant growth will only occur if public and private sector organizations can overcome the current lack of coordination of effort. Individual companies are involved in the sector, as are universities and other organizations, but there is no common development focus.

"With a more focused and coordinated effort, Greater Moncton can carve out a strong niche in the health and life science sector," said Marcel Gervais, President of DDX Health Strategies Inc., and a member of the study’s advisory committee. "We have excellent infrastructure in the region already, and there is potential to build on this if both public and private sector stakeholders can work together on development, currently that isn’t happening."

In an effort to build a more coordinated and focused approach, the Report recommends that Enterprise Greater Moncton and Tech South East work cooperatively on developing specific strategies for the health sector’s growth. Enterprise Greater Moncton would continue to focus on championing our region’s benefits to a global audience and Tech South East would work with our existing industry to focus on building capacity for growth within the region.

"As a region, we must capitalize on the opportunities identified in this report and work to establish ourselves as a leading player in this industry," concluded Thompson.

-30-

Information:

Chad Peters
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Office (506) 858-9550 ext. 104
Mobile (506) 961-1994