Simon Pimstone, the chair of LifeSciences BC summarized his thoughts to BIV on the year to come for the province’s largest life sciences advocacy group the day after the organization's AGM.
“We want to see science and technology prioritized in this province,” he said Thursday. “We want to ensure that the provincial government is better harmonized around issues to do with innovation.”
He said B.C.’s economy and government policy have historically been driven by, or centred on, the resource sector rather than on the larger innovation and knowledge economy.
He noted that innovation, which delivers new and better technologies and systems, could make our resources sector more competitive internationally.
“We’re looking to the provincial government to create an enabling environment, not just bring dollar investments,” said Pimstone, who is also founder, president and CEO of Vancouver’s Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc.
LifeSciences BC does not publicly disclose its financials but Pimstone said the organization continues to improve its annual bottom line and build its sponsor and member pool. It has more than 200 member companies.
The organization introduced its new president, Don Enns, at its AGM Wednesday.
Enns succeeds Karimah Es Sabar, who took a role with the Centre for Drug Research and Development in Vancouver.
See next week’s print edition of BIV for a profile of Enns.