Ground has been broken for Apotex Centre, the new home of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Bannatyne Campus of the University of Manitoba.  At a ceremony attended by many dignitaries and honoured guests, construction officially began on the 70,000 sq.ft. facility that will also house the Procurity Pharmaceutical Care Lab and Procurity Lecture Theatre as well as the Thorkelson Undergraduate Laboratory.

“I am delighted to witness the start of construction for this advanced teaching and research facility for the Faculty of Pharmacy which will see increased collaboration between pharmacy students and those in the Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry,” says Dr. Emke Szathmáry, president and vice-chancellor. “This new home for the Faculty of Pharmacy will enhance its ability to address the current and future demands placed on the growing health care delivery system, which will ultimately result in improved care for Manitobans.”

Dr. David Collins, Dean of Pharmacy, notes: “The groundbreaking ceremony represents a major advance for the profession of pharmacy in Manitoba.  The success of the Faculty’s building campaign will facilitate improvements in an already excellent pharmacy education program through the development of new, state of the art teaching and research facilities.  As well, we are adding value to our profession and our counterparts in the other health science professions by providing all of our students and faculty with greater opportunities for collegial interaction.” 

The new facility will double teaching and research capacity to 70,000 sq. ft. Relocation from the Fort Garry campus will give students and researchers better access to Manitoba's health care delivery system and enhance collaboration for health care practitioners and students.

Components of the new facility will include advanced lecture theatres, an undergraduate teaching laboratory with bench space for 75 students, a manufacturing lab designed to provide hands-on experience in table and sterile formulation production, a pharmaceutical care lab which will include a simulated dispensary system and patient counselling area, and a research centre for new drug development and delivery systems.

The new facility was made possible through the generosity of a number of corporate and private donors, including:

• Government of Manitoba ($7,000,000)
• Apotex ($3,000,000)
• Procurity ($1,000,000)
• Kristjan Thorkelson ($500,000)
• Shoppers Drug Mart ($250,000)
• Super Thrifty Drugs ($100,000)
• Corbett Cibinel Architects ($50,000)
• McKesson Canada ($50,000)

The building will welcome faculty and students in the fall of 2008.

For more information, contact Barbara Becker, External Relations, Bannatyne Campus, at: 204-789-3884.