Life sciences company LGC relocating to Vaughan from Toronto, bringing 400 ‘highly-skilled’ jobs

Move could possibly create 'new cluster and a brand new area' in Vaughan, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua says

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 14, 2021
Dina Al-Shibeeb

Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua announced Oct. 13 that the global life science tools company LGC Group is going to relocate its research chemicals subsidiary in Toronto to Vaughan.

Bevilacqua made the announcement during his annual luncheon event that went virtual for the first time due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Four-hundred people attended online.

Formerly known as the the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, LGC is an international life sciences measurement and tools company headquartered in the United Kingdom.

LGC is expected to open its 200,000-sq.-ft. facility in 2024, Bevilacqua said.

The mayor said LGC is going to bring about 400 highly-skilled jobs into the city that could possibility create a "new cluster and a brand new area" in Vaughan, catering to innovation-based approaches to growing the economy.

"This is the route to go in the global economy," he added.

Vaughan, which has a high percentage of its population with a university or college education, is also known for its manufacturing jobs. However, during his luncheon, the mayor said he is eyeing more diversification and the news of LGC could spur a more "sustainable economy" for the city.

Many advanced cities around the world compete in attracting companies and talent in hopes of creating a knowledge-based economy.

In late 2019, Daisy Intelligence, an AI startup company that garnered some major attention, announced it would move from Vaughan to Toronto to attract tech talents who, at the time, preferred Toronto as better playground and workplace for young people.

"I am very hands on promoting my city because I think it's a crowded field out there; everybody's competing," Bevilacqua said when answering a question about Foreign Direct Investments.

"We are excited to make Vaughan our new home in Canada and are grateful for the partnership and support that we have received from Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, the ZZEN Group and our other local partners in helping to turn our vision for a new facility into reality," Euan O’Sullivan, LGC’s president and CEO, said.

"The products produced at this facility play a critical role in enabling science. Our Toronto Research Chemicals facility has a close-to-40-year history in serving scientists, and we look forward to building on that heritage from our new facility in Vaughan."