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Branding Moncton as a life sciences community would attract investment, research

MONCTON - A dialogue in Moncton has begun over the development of a life sciences cluster that stakeholders say would bring high-paying jobs and private investment to the province.

Enterprise Greater Moncton, the local economic development agency, has already polled industry leaders on interest and has applied for funding to commission a study on the region's potential.

"We need to ensure that we look at that sector and we understand it and we understand where our strengths are and find out where we can build on those strengths," said outgoing president and CEO John J. Thompson.

Ben Champoux, Moncton's business development specialist, said the region has a strong science presence but needs to invest in promoting it.

"We already have it, it's just a matter of being more conscious of it from all the key players and co-ordinating our efforts to brand Moncton as a life sciences, health research, cancer research community," Champoux said, listing the area's two hospitals, the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute and medical school at Universit