For Immediate Release
April 10, 2006

ONTARIO AND ILLINOIS SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AT BIO 2006 CONFERENCE

Partnership To Strengthen Ontario Biotech Sector

CHICAGO -- The governments of the Province of Ontario and the State of Illinois today signed a five-year agreement to collaborate on biotechnology research and trade.

Ontario Economic Development and Trade Minister Joseph Cordiano and Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Jack Lavin signed the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation at the BIO 2006 Conference in Chicago.

"Working together in partnership and sharing information and research with other jurisdictions is vital if Ontario is to compete globally in knowledge-based industries like the life sciences," Cordiano said. "Ontario and Illinois are both recognized as national centres of research, development and industry. This MOU will help us to more formally build our relationship to strengthen and grow the biotech sector in both of our jurisdictions."

The Ontario-Illinois MOU covers:

• Developing bio-products networks to capitalize on trends and opportunities of interest to both jurisdictions;
• Fostering information and technology exchanges across business and research institutions that will advance research and commercialization of biomaterials, bio-fuels, agricultural sciences, plant and animal genomics, environmental sustainability, food science and nutrition;
• Supporting trade development and business partnership opportunities, including such activities as business and/or scientific delegations; and
• Identifying specific issues the province and/or state may bring to the attention of their federal governments.

"Places that invest in innovation will be home to the most rewarding jobs, the strongest economies and the best quality of life," said Ontario Premier and Minister of Research and Innovation, Dalton McGuinty, who also attended the BIO conference. "Ontario's highly-skilled workforce, leading-edge research and proven ability to discover new ideas and turn them into innovative products is helping build a pervasive culture of innovation.  Working cooperatively is key to Ontario's continued success."

The memorandum ensures specific opportunities for collaborative research, training and faculty/student exchanges in the areas of bio-products will be identified at the upcoming World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology Conference to be held in Toronto July 11-14, 2006.

"On behalf of Governor Blagojevich and the State of Illinois, we are excited to be joining together with the Province of Ontario to advance our mutual interests in biotechnology research, development and commerce, and support innovations that will yield the jobs of tomorrow. Illinois is well-positioned to take full advantage of the future of the biotech industry, and I look forward to getting there together through partnerships such as these with the people of Ontario," said Jack Lavin, Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO).

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