The visit to Charlottetown this week of Novartis president Tom Rossi and general manager Dominique Giulini is evidence of the strong relationship that has grown between the bioscience company and the people of Prince Edward Island, says Premier Robert Ghiz.

“When we look at the 2006 decision to set up Novartis research facilities in Victoria, the move of Novartis vaccine production facilities to the West Royalty Industrial Park or most recently to the naming of Dr. Mark Fast to the role of Novartis Research Chair in Fish Health at the Atlantic Veterinary Centre, we see a growing commitment and growing integration of Novartis into the community of Prince Edward Island,” Premier Ghiz said Friday morning.

Novartis executives Tom Rossi, President of Pharma and Country Head for Canada, and Dominique Giulini, President of OTC and Animal Health, provided the premier and bioscience development staff of Innovation PEI with a tour of the recently-expanded Novartis vaccine production facilities in West Royalty Industrial Park before speaking with media.

Novartis is a major healthcare company with businesses in the areas of eye care, consumer health, vaccines and diagnostics, animal health, name brand pharmaceuticals, and generics which employs 2,200 Canadians across the country. Novartis Pharmaceuticals is proud to be able to collaborate with Novartis Animal Health in order to strengthen its presence in PEI,” said Mr. Rossi.

The government of Prince Edward Island has recognized bioscience as an economic sector with great potential for growth – and one that fits well with the province’s natural resources, its private sector and with the research and education base at UPEI, Holland College and the Atlantic Veterinary College. The sector was identified as a key economic pillar in the Island Prosperity Strategy, www.islandprosperity.com.

“Prince Edward Island has been an ideal place in which to nurture the growth of our vital Aqua Health business. The importance of aquaculture to the region, the support we’ve received from the local community and from the government, and the ability to access and attract premier talent all contribute to the favourability of PEI,” said Mr. Giulini.

The premier said he looked forward to working with Novartis on future projects.

“I don’t want to speak for Presidents Rossi and Giulini but I think I can safely say that Novartis has found an eager workforce in this province, research partners at our university and a government that has recognized that bioscience is one of the pillars of our province’s future prosperity,” Premier Ghiz said.