The Cité de l’innovation agroalimentaire

The Largest Agri-Food Innovation Ecosystem in Quebec

The Saint-Hyacinthe agri-food innovation ecosystem brings together more than 150 research, higher education, technology transfer, and specialized industries in the bio-food sector. At the heart of this ecosystem, the Cité de l’innovation agroalimentaire, a dedicated technology park, brings together some 3,000 workers and professionals, including 200 world-renowned permanent researchers, active in food processing and related sciences. This combination makes Saint-Hyacinthe not only the most comprehensive hub in Quebec, but also one of the most recognized in Canada and internationally.

DISCOVER

The Institutions at the Heart of The Ecosystem

Thanks to its strong agricultural activities, Saint-Hyacinthe was chosen in 1882 to host the headquarters of the Société d’industrie laitière du Québec (Quebec Dairy Industry Society), which aimed to improve the quality of dairy products by developing real expertise in the field. This led to the opening of the École de laiterie de Saint-Hyacinthe (Saint-Hyacinthe Dairy School) 10 years later, which trained several generations of butter and cheese makers in the province. It is the predecessor of the Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec (Quebec Institute of Agri-Food Technology). In 1947, the city welcomed the School of Veterinary Medicine, which became the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Université de Montréal in 1968. As the only French-language veterinary teaching institution in the Americas, it continues to play an essential role in innovation in the agri-food sector.

Quebec’s Agri-Food Capital

In the second half of the 20th century, efforts were focused on developing an industrial park where food processing and agri-food support companies could set up shop as a technology cluster. This gamble paid off, with some 20 new companies setting up shop in less than five years. This earned Saint-Hyacinthe the title of Quebec’s Agri-Food Capital in 1983. In 1987, the Government of Canada inaugurated the Food Research and Development Centre in Saint-Hyacinthe, the largest food processing research facility in the country.

First Canadian Member of the International Association of Science Parks (IASP)

The technology hub that developed as a result enabled Saint-Hyacinthe to make a name for itself in the international network of science parks linked to agri-food science. Seizing on this newfound renown, local decision-makers began taking steps in the early 1990s to elevate this young ecosystem of production and innovation to the status of a technopole. After a long process, Saint-Hyacinthe became the first Canadian technopole to be accredited by the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) in 1993.

North America’s First Technology Park Dedicated to the Sector

It was not until five years later that the idea of creating a technology and science park dedicated to innovation in the agri-food sector was born. The Maskoutain community wanted to take advantage of the world-class research expertise available in Saint-Hyacinthe through its scientific and higher education institutions to generate more industrial applications and economic benefits for the region and the agri-food sector. All this was to be achieved by creating, within a defined area, a space where research and higher education stakeholders, talented individuals, and companies in the sector could come together. Thus, the Cité de la biotechnologie agroalimentaire et vétérinaire (Agri-Food and Veterinary Biotechnology City), now known as the Cité de l’innovation agroalimentaire (Agri-Food Innovation City), was officially established on January 16, 2003.

Accelerators Benefiting Innovative Companies

Since its founding, the Cité has developed a large real estate portfolio to accommodate emerging companies specializing in the agri-food, veterinary, and pharmaceutical sectors. Eight buildings offer more than 350,000 square feet of production and research space to some 20 innovative companies. These business accelerators represent an asset of more than $60 million for Saint-Hyacinthe Technopole, which now owns them.

Over $1.2 Billion in Investments

In 2023, the Cité de l’innovation agroalimentaire celebrated its 20th anniversary. In less than two decades, it has seen the creation of some 40 technology companies that stand out for their R&D activities and the innovative nature of their products or production processes. To date, some 3,000 employees, including more than 200 world-renowned researchers, work within its walls. They have enabled the Cité to play a significant role in the economic development of the greater Saint-Hyacinthe region, as well as in the advancement and innovation of Quebec’s agri-food industry.

AURP Awards of Excellence

In 2011, the Association of University Research Parks (AURP) awarded the Cité de l’innovation agroalimentaire the prize for Best Emerging Technology Park in the World. It stood out among a dozen other technology parks around the world that were also nominated. The AURP recognized the young technology park’s ability to transfer technologies from applied research into viable economic activity, as well as to generate investment, employment, and public revenue. It also highlighted its active participation in the development of the university community and agri-food research, as well as its contribution to the recruitment and retention of researchers and young talent.

European Commission Study

In 2011, the Cité de l’innovation agroalimentaire was the only Canadian technology park, and the only one in North America along with San Diego in the United States, to be included in a prestigious study by PricewaterhouseCoopers conducted on behalf of the European Commission on the performance of “bioclusters.” Among all the parks studied, it ranked at the same level of development as the hubs in Paris, Oslo, and Munich, surpassed only by Cambridge and San Diego as the best models of development for its infrastructure for hosting and supporting business innovation and the synergy developed between its stakeholders.

Hector-Fabre Award

Over the years, the Cité has also been awarded the Hector-Fabre Award by the Quebec Ministry of International Relations as an organization promoting Quebec abroad, in addition to being chosen as a “showcase of Quebec expertise” at the 16th France-Quebec meeting in Paris for its activities in agri-food innovation.