It's no secret, Canada's biotechnology, life sciences, pharma and medical device industries are booming. With many opportunities presenting themselves it is important to strategically pick where you want to set up home base and build your career. That is why I thought I would build a list of the best cities in Canada for pharma and biotech jobs. This blog post will go over the major companies and opportunities available in select cities to help guide you on your way to building your perfect life sciences career in Canada. Whether you're a new grad or a seasoned professional it is always a good idea to get a picture of the job landscape to see what's out there.
Before we dive into the rankings a bit of context is in order. It's important to understand why certain cities are going to be better for biotech jobs in Canada. As you have probably guessed biotech, pharma and medical equipment companies require top tier educated talent as their products are extremely complex and impact the health of millions of Canadians. Naturally this leaves biotech companies to be clustered closely with universities, hospital systems and funding bodies. In addition to these conditions there needs to be the presence of venture capital or large investment firms which mostly exist in Canada's major cities and most notably Toronto as starting up any pharma, biotech or medical device company is extremely capital intensive and requires a lot of money to scale and to develop drugs.
Some other factors that are important when considering where to set up your career is based on the networks you have in these cities. Depending on where you went to university or based on your previous work experience you will have established networks in certain cities. This is important when you are looking for new roles or perhaps you want to stat a company yourself having people that you know can help you get hired faster or it can help you doing hiring faster. Additionally if you are working at startups it would be good to know which cities have a vibrant or upcoming biotech incubator scene we covered one such location in this article here.
Time to jump in to the list. The cities featured are in no particular order as it would be impossible to discern a definitive one-size-fits-all ranking for everyone who reads this post. Each city featured will go over an intro, major employers, and cost of living.
Toronto
This wouldn't be a serious list if we didn't put Toronto and the GTA in the first slot. Being Canada's largest city with many high quality research universities in it's orbit means that talent flocks to this city not only from all over Canada but from all over the world. Toronto is home to a large number of pharmaceutical giants including the homegrown giant Apotex.
Some of the major companies present in the GTA are: Sanofi, Apotex, Roche and GSK.
The university network includes: University of Toronto, York University, TMU and in the greater region Waterloo, Guelph, Queens and Western.
This allows for a lot of local sourcing of talent as many of these universities produce top quality graduates. There is even a vibrant startup scene in Toronto when you factor in the MaRS Discovery District and JLabs Toronto. There is also greater investment visibility due to Toronto also being Canada's finance center so if you are looking to launch a biotech startup you don't have to walk far to find funding.
Cost of living is significant in Toronto as it is Canada's second most expensive housing market after Vancouver. However with Toronto being Canada's largest city you will have all of the amenities and entertainment you could ever want out of a city so that is why many prefer it.
Biotech jobs in Toronto are the most common positions we have open on our job board, you can check them out here.
Montreal
Montreal is another big pharma hub in Canada. Similar to Toronto, Montreal has many highly ranked universities in McGill, The University of Montreal and Concordia as well as other universities within the region like the University of Laval. This large talent pool is what prompts many top pharma companies like Pharmascience to be born out of this region.
Some of the major companies present in the Montreal area are: Pfizer, Novartis and Merck.
The university network includes: McGill, Concordia, University of Montreal and University of Laval.
Similar to Toronto, Montreal also has a vibrant biotech startup incubator scene. Some of the sites includes District 3 Montreal, Technoparc Montreal and InspireLabs.
As a city Montreal combines Europe with New York City. It is one of the most vibrant cities in the country with all of the amenities and culture one could want with close proximity to nature and beautiful the countryside. Connected with a major airport you can get anywhere in the world to escape the winter weather. Montreal is on the cheaper side of the pharma hubs in Canada although prices are rising. The most notable feature of considering working in the biotech space in Quebec/Montreal is that you will be expected to be bilingual. Which means there is less competition for employment here due to less people globally and within Canada being fluent in both French and English. Depending on how many languages you know this can help or hinder your prospects in starting a pharma career in Quebec.
We have many job postings from the greater Montreal area on our website. If this city sounds like it's for you then check them out here.
Vancouver
Moving all the way to the west coast, Vancouver has a developed biotech and pharma industry of it's own. Despite being far away from other Canadian cities Vancouver has allowed for the development of some very notable biotech startups and companies. This city is the hub for biotechs and pharmas on the west coast of Canada and has some pull from the talent pool in Seattle just south of the border.
Some of the major companies present in the Vancouver area are: AbCellera, STEMCELL Technologies and Zymeworks.
The University network is mainly driven by UBC but there are also a lot of graduates from Simon Fraser and the University of Victoria present.
Despite the presence of some really cool startups and young biotechs in the region the main incubator space is the SBME Innovates Centre spun out of UBC.
As a city Vancouver is one of the most desirable locations in the country if not the world when it comes to lifestyle. Mild winters and beautiful summers allow people who love the outdoors to take full advantage of the mountains and ocean. If you're an outdoorsy person this city is for you. With this in mind Vancouver is also the most expensive housing market in the country (and one of the most expensive in the world) so if finances are a major priority for you this city might not be a great fit. But if you don't mind paying the location premium to live here there really is no better city to live in.
If you're out on the west coast and are looking for a pharma job in Vancouver take a look at our page here.
Edmonton
The biotech and pharma industry in Alberta may still be developing with Edmonton poised to take the top position as a biotech hub for the prairies. While the roster of companies in this region isn't as deep as in others. This can allow you to cement yourself as an experienced professional within the local biotech ecosystem by moving and working here.
Some major companies in the area include companies like Gilead.
The university network here is largely driven by the University of Alberta.
There are two cool incubator hubs in the city, the Health Innovation Hub and Edmonton Research Park. Both associated with the University of Alberta.
Despite how far north Edmonton is it is a city where you can set up a nice life. One of the primary factors that drives people to live here is how affordable the housing is. Alberta is one of the cheapest major cities in Canada easily beating the housing markets of Ontario, BC and Quebec. You'll have to deal with a much colder winter up there but your wallet certainly won't be squeezed. Consider moving to Edmonton if you want to potentially advance your career due to the smaller local pool of talent in the area.
If you are curious about pharma jobs in Edmonton check out this page here.
How to Choose the Right City for Your Career
Now that we’ve gone over some of the biggest biotech and pharma hubs in Canada, you might be wondering how to actually decide which city is right for you. The truth is, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to building your life sciences career. Everyone’s situation is different depending on where you are in your career, your financial goals, and the kind of lifestyle you want to live.
One of the biggest factors to think about is cost of living. While cities like Toronto and Vancouver have incredible access to opportunity, they also come with high rent and general living expenses. On the flip side, smaller markets like Edmonton or Halifax offer a much lower cost of living, which can make your early career years less stressful and allow you to save more. It’s all about trade-offs.
You should also think about what type of work environment you want. If you’re the kind of person who thrives in a corporate environment surrounded by global pharmaceutical companies, Toronto or Montreal might make the most sense. But if you prefer a faster-paced, startup-style culture where you can wear multiple hats and grow quickly, Vancouver’s biotech startup ecosystem or Calgary’s emerging life sciences scene might be a better fit.
Another thing to keep in mind is your professional network. Whether it’s former classmates, professors, or previous coworkers, having people you already know in a city can make a big difference when it comes to landing interviews and getting job referrals. The biotech world is surprisingly small, so being in a place where you already have connections can be a major advantage.
Finally, don’t forget about quality of life. It’s easy to focus on salary and job titles, but the city you choose will shape your lifestyle too. Some people want the energy and opportunity that comes with big-city life, while others prefer the slower pace and lower cost of smaller regions. The good news is that the Canadian biotech industry is growing nationwide, so there are opportunities no matter where you decide to settle down.
Wrapping Up and Final Thoughts
Hopefully this list was helpful to shed some light on the opportunities available across Canada to work in biotech and pharma. Take some more time to review some of our relevant resources on our blog and start applying to some jobs. I'll leave a link to our career page here.