ONTARIO STRENGTHENS DOMESTIC PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING CAPACITY

Ontario Together Fund continues to support homegrown manufacturing and innovation to provide goods critical to the health, safety, and security of the people of Ontario

GUELPH — The Ontario government is supporting an investment of nearly $15 million by Johnson & Johnson Inc., makers of over-the-counter pharmaceuticals for adults and children. The province is investing $2.5 million through the Ontario Together Fund to help expand the company’s current manufacturing facilities in Guelph. The expansion will support good, local jobs in the region.

“Through the Ontario Together Fund, our government is investing in Ontario’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, while creating good jobs in the province,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “By collaborating with Johnson & Johnson Inc., we are helping to provide the people of Ontario with goods critical to their health, safety and security and positioning Ontario as a leader in drug development and manufacturing.”

Johnson & Johnson Inc. is part of the world’s largest healthcare company, engaged in the research and development, manufacture and sale of a broad range of products in the health care field. Since 1980, the company has been manufacturing consumer health products for adults, children and infants at its 235,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Guelph, which employs about 320 people. With this investment, Johnson & Johnson Inc. will obtain additional square footage of manufacturing space and purchase additional machinery and equipment to expand manufacturing capacity for its over-the-counter medicines.

“Johnson & Johnson Inc. is an important part of Ontario’s economy and life sciences sector, and our Guelph facility is dedicated to the manufacturing of over-the-counter medications,” said Phil Stewart, Senior Director, Canadian Supply Chain, Johnson & Johnson Inc. “We are delighted to be working with the Government of Ontario to strengthen the province’s manufacturing capacity for products that support the health of Ontarians, and this collaboration will help us grow our site productivity to better serve the health needs of consumers.”

“For over 40 years, Johnson & Johnson Inc. has been a valued member of the province’s life sciences supply chain and Invest Ontario welcomes the expansion of manufacturing capacity for Over-the-Counter medicines at the company’s Guelph facility,” said Trevor Dauphinee, CEO, Invest Ontario. “Our team was pleased to work with the company to help secure this project and looks forward to building on this productive partnership as Johnson & Johnson continues to innovate and grow in Ontario.”

“Johnson & Johnson Inc. has a well-earned reputation as a leading employer and corporate citizen in Guelph,” said Cam Guthrie, Mayor of Guelph. “We are thrilled at the news of this expansion, and the investment and jobs it will bring.“

Supporting innovative projects like Johnson & Johnson Inc.’s manufacturing expansion is why Ontario has invested an additional $50 million in the renewed Ontario Together Fund in 2021–22. This investment also aligns with the province’s recently announced Life Sciences Strategy, a plan to make Ontario a global hub for biomanufacturing and life sciences. It will create high-paying jobs, strengthen our health care system – and make it clear that Ontario is a world-leading partner in developing the medicines, vaccines and health technologies of the future.

Quick Facts

As of April 20, 2022, Ontario has announced a total commitment of more than $72 million through the Ontario Together Fund to support 56 companies and 11 organizations in supplying emergency products, including PPE as well as other solutions.
Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy brings total investments to $16.3 billion to protect people’s health and $23.3 billion to protect our economy.
Ontario is home to 1,900 life sciences firms that employ 66,000 people and generate over $58 billion in revenues. The pharmaceutical sector alone is responsible for $43 billion of those revenues and employs about 31,000 people.
The government recently revealed Taking Life Sciences to the Next Level, the province’s plan to grow Ontario’s life sciences sector and secure new investments in next-generation health technologies, medicines and vaccine manufacturing. The strategy sets out ambitious goals over the next decade, including growing Ontario’s biomanufacturing and life sciences sector to employ 85,000 Ontarians in high-value jobs by 2030, a 25 per cent increase from 2020.