This morning, in the presence of industry, university and clinical representatives, Pierre Duchesne, Québec Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, announced top-level non-refundable financial support of $2,560,000 over two years for MEDTEQ, the consortium for research and innovation in medical technologies in Québec.

“More than 600 businesses and nearly 15,000 employees are working directly in the medical technologies industry in Québec,” Mr. Duchesne said. “The field is booming. The development of the life sciences technologies field is a government priority. MEDTEQ will make it possible to cement sustainable, high-quality research partnerships that pool the strengths of industry, hospitals and public research. Its activities will contribute to creating a culture of open innovation in the life sciences technologies sector, as well as allowing the group's member businesses to increase their competitiveness in their respective markets or in new markets.”

Christophe Guy, Chief Executive Officer of Polytechnique Montréal, said he is proud to take part in the MEDTEQ inauguration. “This is a unique partnership that will foster synergy between engineering and health sciences, but also and above all between universities, hospitals and businesses,” he noted when he took the stage at the Consortium's inauguration.

Left to right: Jacques Milette, Chair of the MEDTEQ Board of Directors and Director of Sales and Business Development, Siemens Healthcare; Pierre Duchesne, Québec Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology; Christophe Guy, CEO, Polytechnique Montréal; Yves Beauchamp, Director General, École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS).

At Polytechnique, engineering and the field of health are joining forces in several areas to foster innovation. Polytechnique inaugurated its biomedical engineering program, a first in Canada, in 2009. The program's first graduates reached the job market in 2012. Polytechnique, a pioneer in the field, has offered master's programs since 1972 and doctoral programs since 1980 jointly with Université de Montréal. It now has, among others, an Institut de génie biomedical (biomedical engineering institute), led by Professor Pierre Savard. Operating at the juncture of biomedical science and applied science, the institute is the largest university centre in its field in Canada, in terms of both the scope of its research activities and its graduate-level teaching. Polytechnique professors also hold a number of research chairs and benefit from numerous partnerships with industry.

See also:
Official announcement on the Ministry website (in French only)