Moderna has completed construction on its mRNA manufacturing facility in Laval, Que.

The $250-million suburban Montreal development project signals a significant step forward in Canada’s domestic preparedness for future pandemics, the company said in a news release. The vaccine-production plant is expected to be operational in 2025. pending regulatory approvals.

“Completing the construction of our mRNA facility marks a groundbreaking moment for Moderna and Canada as we progress towards delivering a domestic mRNA vaccine supply chain,” said Stefan Ross, general manager for Moderna Canada. “This building is a tangible example of concerted collaboration with the federal government, the government of Quebec, and the city of Laval, reflecting the lessons of the pandemic. We are proud to help drive Canada’s reputation as a mRNA centre of excellence and contributor to global health initiatives.” 

The facility will focus on producing respiratory mRNA vaccines for Canadians.

Canada scrambled to find sufficient vaccine supplies during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the country eventually amassed a surplus from international sources and distributed Moderna and other products globally. The new plant should produce about 100 million doses per year, Jerh Collins, Moderna’s chief operating and quality officer told the Montreal Gazette.

Photo: GNW Group / Moderna