Dr. Volker Gerdts, director of VIDO-InterVac. (University of Saskatchewan)

By Lara Fominoff/ CKOM News

VIDO-InterVac seeks support from City of Saskatoon to become ‘Centre for Pandemic Research’

Nov 23, 2020 | 6:02 PM

The director of Saskatoon’s VIDO-InterVac facility is hoping to get the city’s support to become a national centre for pandemic research.

Dr. Volker Gerdts and Lawyer Doug Richardson made a presentation to the city’s governance and priorities committee meeting Monday, Nov. 23.

The proposal included information indicating that Gerdts hoped to a have a new animal facility and to upgrade their labs to the highest “Level 4” biosecurity, which would allow for the study of the world’s most serious, dangerous and infectious diseases there.

VIDO-InterVac (Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization — International Vaccine Centre) is currently a “Level 3” biosecurity facility.

Richardson says the provincial government has indicated it would be on board with the proposal, along with some unnamed members of the private sector, however, they need it from the city as well.

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“We understand these things take time, but if we can get some encouraging nudge – some signal of potential for support in the near term, that would be really helpful to us,” said Richardson.

Gerdts said if funding for a new centre was awarded to Saskatoon, it would create dozens of jobs.

“At least another 40 to 50 high paid jobs would be associated with this expansion of the facility, plus support staff, operating staff. It’s a vision for hiring new scientists, hiring new manufacturing personnel…these are highly trained, highly skilled, so highly paid jobs.”

There is competition, however. Richardson told the GPC that time was of the essence because other centres including those at Quebec’s McMaster University, and at least one B.C. university were also interested in creating the same thing.

“Each of these that I referred to would like to build Canada’s pandemic centre. With your key local…support, we can tell the rest of the nation that it’s Saskatoon’s turn to create a national centre to tame this virus we face, the next virus that will follow, and the next after that.”

Gerdts added that staff at VIDO-InterVac are hoping to begin clinical trials on their COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the year.

A motion by Coun. Cynthia Block for city administration to research the proposal and report back in Jan. 2021 was passed unanimously, along with a recommendation on any potential financial contribution from the city.