February 2024

National Compensation Guide offers strategic insights for bio-economy employers to attract and retain top talent

In an era where rising costs of living and talent shortages are putting pressure on bioscience employers, offering competitive compensation has never been more critical. The 2024-25 National Compensation Guide provides bioscience employers with the latest salary, benefits, and compensation insights to help them recruit and retain top talent in Canada’s bio-economy. With many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating on tight budgets, this guide equips them with the data needed to build attractive, market informed compensation packages that not only align with industry standards but also give them a competitive edge in securing skilled professionals.

The 10^th edition of the National Compensation Guide profiles compensation data for over 45 key job functions, offering insights into salaries, benefits and compensation trends across varying experience levels and organizational sizes. This year’s edition integrates a new data source, enhancing the depth and accuracy of the report, and ensuring employers have the most relevant and up-to-date intelligence to refine their compensation strategies. Developed using robust data collection methodologies and validated by industry experts, the guide enables employers to make informed decisions to attract and retain skilled professionals.

Ready to learn more? Contact [email protected]

Purchase the 2024-2025 National Compensation Guide

Leaders in diversity: Recognizing the 2024-2025 I.D.E.A.L. Bioscience Employers™

Canada’s bio-economy is being reshaped by the forward-thinking organizations recognized as 2024-2025 I.D.E.A.L. Bioscience Employers™. Their unwavering dedication to inclusivity, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) is driving meaningful change and paving the way for a more equitable future. BioTalent Canada applauds their leadership and commitment to championing diversity as a cornerstone of their success.

Biotechnology organizations both large and small can apply for the I.D.E.A.L. Bioscience Employer Recognition Program.

Recipients of the 2024-2025 I.D.E.A.L. Bioscience Employer Recognition Program include (listed alphabetically): AgriTech North, Amino Labs North, API, Aruna Revolution Health Inc, BioCanRx, Charles River Laboratories, Gotcare, Health Cities, INTREPID Lab, Life Sciences Ontario, Neuraura Biotech Inc, NorthernRNA, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), Raft Brew Labs, Shift Health and STEMCELL Technologies.

Are you looking to build your organization’s IDEA strategy but not sure where to start? BioTalent Canada’s employer resources are available at biotalent.ca/resiliency.

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National Skills Standard for Cleanroom Readiness

BioTalent Canada’s National Skills Standard for Cleanroom Readiness is designed to address critical skills shortages in Canadian biomanufacturing.
The national skills standard, developed with industry experts, will empower employers to recruit and develop talent to meet the needed cleanroom competencies, addressing skills mismatches and strengthening Canada’s biomanufacturing capacity. Biomanufacturing training providers will be able to incorporate this standard in their programs to ensure new talent has the skills needed in the industry.

LEARN MORE: Access the National Skills Standard for Cleanroom Readiness here

To access more employer resources to help build a robust and resilient talent strategy, visit biotalent.ca/resiliency.

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Showcase your company and connect with highly skilled talent through The PetriDish^TM – Canada’s only national, bilingual biotech job board.

Employers

Get noticed as a lead employer
Connect with bio-economy exclusive candidates
Expand recruitment beyond personal networks
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Discounts available to members of partner industry associations

Are you struggling to find talent? Contact Soufiane at [email protected].

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Bioscience Association Manitoba’s Annual Industry Celebration

Bioscience Association Manitoba’s Annual Industry Celebration is a night dedicated to celebrating the achievements, innovation, and growth of Manitoba’s bioscience sector. This event brings together industry professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders to recognize the incredible contributions made in health biotech, ag biotech, and clean biotech.
The evening will feature inspiring speeches, a showcase of groundbreaking developments, and ample opportunities for networking with key figures from the Manitoba bioscience community. Come enjoy delicious food, vibrant conversation, and the chance to reflect on another successful year in Manitoba’s bioscience ecosystem. Don’t miss out on an unforgettable evening that highlights our shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and progress in the field!

Event Details:

Date: March 12, 2025

Time: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Location: Fort Garry Hotel—Grand Ballroom, 222 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0R3

Learn more and register

New Report Offers Strategies for Building the Biomanufacturing Workforce

CASTL, in partnership with BioTalent Canada and Future Skills Centre (FSC), is pleased to announce the release of Future-Ready: Developing Key Competencies for Canada’s Biomanufacturing Workforce.
This timely report addresses the critical workforce challenges in Canada’s rapidly growing biomanufacturing sector, which will require 65,000 additional workers by 2029. It also provides actionable recommendations to help employers bridge the skills gap and build a future-ready workforce.

Key findings

Regulatory compliance and hands-on laboratory techniques rank as the most sought-after competencies, with 80% of employers prioritizing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and 70% emphasizing laboratory proficiency.

Employers report that while new graduates possess strong theoretical knowledge, they often lack essential hands-on training in cleanroom operations, regulatory compliance, and aseptic techniques.

Skilled workers from adjacent fields such as pharmaceuticals and food manufacturing have transferable expertise, making targeted reskilling programs a valuable workforce solution.

Collaboration between post-secondary institutions, policymakers, and industry leaders is crucial to aligning training programs with real-world needs.

Despite recognizing the importance of training, many companies, especially SMEs, cite cost constraints, time limitations, and lack of accessible biomanufacturing-specific programs as significant challenges.

Read the report

Trump tariffs and Canadian employment law: Key considerations for employers

Wednesday, February 26

Business leaders, large and small, must be prudent and deliberate in navigating the complex legal landscape they face as a result of the threatened tariffs on Canadian goods exported to the U.S. Critical among their planning must be adjustments to their workforces. Employment law considerations must be at the forefront of those plans to ensure employers do not unintentionally compound the problems created by the tariffs.

Does an employer have a legal right to make changes?

The employment relationship is a contract. As with any contract, neither party has the right to unilaterally change the terms of the contract, even when the reasons for the proposed change are compelling. As many learned the hard way during the COVID-19 pandemic, employers do not have an automatic right to make quick and dramatic changes that “make sense” in the face of a crisis such as tariffs. Even where the changes are made equally or equitably across the entire workforce, those changes can have unintended and dramatic effects on the employer’s legal obligations to its employees.

Some non-unionized employers have negotiated the right to reduce compensation, adjust work hours/wages and impose temporary layoffs in the face of business changes. However, most have not expressly negotiated those rights. Consequently, such actions can constitute a breach of the contract of employment, and entitle the employee to claim they have been constructively dismissed, resign and sue for wrongful dismissal.

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