- Expansion to create 50 new high-skilled jobs in AI and reinforce Sanofi's long-term commitment to Ontario
- Invest Ontario Fund to contribute a conditional grant of up to $5 million
- Partnership with the Province of Ontario and Toronto's strong AI talent pool key drivers in site selection
TORONTO, May 4, 2026 /CNW/ - Sanofi, an R&D-driven, AI-powered biopharma company and Canada's largest biopharma manufacturer, is expanding its global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence in Toronto, deepening its investment in Ontario and growing AI talent to develop and manufacture life-changing medicines and vaccines faster than ever before.
The $294 million expansion will create 50 new high-skilled jobs in artificial intelligence and machine learning, building on the more than 150 roles created in just four years since establishing the AI Centre of Excellence (COE) in 2022 in downtown Toronto. These new roles will lead the design and deployment of advanced AI tools used throughout Sanofi's global research, manufacturing and business operations, accelerating the delivery of breakthrough medicines and vaccines to patients worldwide.
The expansion will be supported by a conditional grant of up to $5 million from the Invest Ontario Fund, which recognizes Sanofi's sustainable, long-term commitment to Ontario's innovation ecosystem, and reinforces the province's position as a global leader in AI-powered healthcare innovation.
"With local biopharma expertise and a world-class AI talent pool in Toronto, we are developing made-in-Canada solutions that are being scaled to operations across the globe," said Dimitrije Jankovic, Sanofi's Global Head of Digital Strategy and Operations. "We appreciate the partnership with the Province of Ontario – their support will help us continue our growth here and create tremendous opportunities for AI talent to join us in transforming healthcare."
Through this expansion, Sanofi is extending new global AI mandates and long-term leadership roles to Ontario, demonstrating growing international confidence in the province's ability to support complex, large-scale innovation within global organizations.
"Our government is proud to welcome this exciting new investment and to support Sanofi as they continue expanding their footprint here in Ontario," said Premier Doug Ford. "Today's announcement is a clear demonstration of Sanofi's confidence in our world-class STEM workers and ensures they will continue to play a central role as we make Ontario a global hub for the development of cutting-edge technologies."
"Sanofi's investment is a testament to Ontario's leadership in the AI and life sciences sectors, reinforcing our reputation as the best place to innovate, scale, and succeed," said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. "We look forward to seeing Sanofi continue to grow in the province, creating good-paying jobs for our workers and producing essential medicines and vaccines for Canada and the world."
"Sanofi's Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence expansion advances technologies that can transform patient outcomes and enhance our health-care system. This investment will create long–term economic opportunity while delivering tangible health benefits for families across the province and the country, including support for life sciences work that enables Sanofi to protect millions of Canadians from infectious disease through vaccine production, alongside other innovative research and development initiatives." -- Sylvia Jones, Minister of Health
"Toronto is proud to welcome this new investment from Sanofi. Our world-class AI talent, strong life sciences sector, and dynamic innovation community make Toronto a natural destination for companies that want to grow and lead. We look forward to seeing Sanofi continue to expand and contribute to the strength of our city and to better health outcomes for people here and around the world." -- Mayor Olivia Chow
About Sanofi's Global AI Center of Excellence
The Toronto AI COE serves as a strategic innovation engine for Sanofi. With co-location of data, AI, scientific, manufacturing and product teams in Toronto, teams are uniquely positioned to work across the full life sciences value chain to enable faster iteration of solutions, which can be scaled across 90+ countries, delivering real-world impact for patients globally.
"AI is woven into the fabric of how we discover, develop, produce, launch, and support innovative therapies at Sanofi. Our Toronto AI COE exemplifies how we're harnessing artificial intelligence, accelerating our mission to halve the time from discovery to delivery of innovative treatments," said Emmanuel Frenehard, Sanofi's Chief Digital Officer. "Our investments in Canada are building the foundation for the next generation of breakthrough medicines and vaccines."
The investment announced today will create permanent Ontario-based capability, with 50 new roles by 2028, and support the expansion of technology partnerships as well as the expansion of the COE's facilities in downtown Toronto. Additionally, it will enable the growth of Sanofi's internship program, which currently recruits 30+ students annually from Ontario universities, with strong conversion to full-time employment.
This investment aligns with Sanofi's broader commitment to Canada, including over $2 billion in new infrastructure investments by 2028 across its 52-acre Toronto campus. Through direct and spillover effects, the company supported 12,000 jobs across Canada in 2024 and contributed nearly $2.02 billion to Canada's GDP, with exports reaching 60 countries around the globe.
About Sanofi
Sanofi is an R&D driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people's lives and delivering compelling growth. We apply our deep understanding of the immune system to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world, with an innovative pipeline that could benefit millions more.
Sanofi is the largest biopharma manufacturer in Canada, investing, innovating and operating across the full life sciences value chain. We are 2,000+ employees strong, invest 20% of our revenue annually in biopharma research, and are on track to deliver over $2 billion in new infrastructure investments by 2028. Sanofi is committed to our community and is working with partners to foster a long-term sustainable ecosystem and build a healthier Canada.
SOURCE SANOFI
For more information and media inquiries, please contact: Alison Akkerman, +1 416-433-5853, [email protected]; Julien Guyomard, +1 416-434-3134, [email protected]
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