Premier Doug Ford held a press conference on Monday to announce that French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi is expanding its Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence (AI CoE) in Toronto by adding 50 new employee positions to the existing 150. The province is providing a conditional grant of $5 million through Invest Ontario to support the expansion.
Ford Defends the Grant
When questioned by reporters about the use of public money for a multinational corporation, Ford responded firmly. "This is a privilege that Sanofi has confidence in Ontario. They don't have to be here... they are doing it because they believe in the people of Toronto and Ontario. This is an investment, not an expense," he said. He added, "Why don't you tell... the additional people they are going to hire that this wasn't a good idea? I think they would toss you out the balcony if you ever said that to them."
Sanofi's Presence in Ontario
Sanofi opened its AI CoE in Toronto in 2022 to leverage expertise in data science, computational biology, AI strategy, and data management. In 2024, it opened Canada's largest biomanufacturing facility in Toronto at a cost of $800 million. James Guy, Sanofi's top executive in Canada, noted that the provincial grant was not the initial driver of the decision to expand. "Toronto is an attractive place with a highly educated workforce who have expertise in this area. That was the first driver of the decision for the company," he said.
Expert Opinion
Walid Hejazi, an academic director at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, emphasized the importance of attracting AI investments. He noted that while Canadian researchers have led in AI development, the country has lagged in implementation. "We are currently experimenting with AI, we have all these pilot projects – what we call 'point solutions.' But to really get the benefits of AI, you have to cross the bridge to get to the 'system solutions,'" Hejazi said, comparing the process to crossing a bridge. He cited Canadian banks like TD and RBC as examples of organizations making that transition.
