More money needed for construction of VIDO Centre of Pandemic Research

A bid by Saskatoon’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) to become Canada’s Centre for Pandemic Research has hit a snag.

There isn’t enough money to build the new animal research facility, according to VIDO director and CEO Dr. Volker Gerdts.

In a letter addressed to Mayor Charlie Clark, Gerdts indicated the original budget for the project — which will include a new animal research facility — was projected to be $66 million. The facility would house exotic animals, from which a variety of new diseases often emerge.

The budget included $46 million from the federal government, $15 million from the Saskatchewan government, $4.55 million from VIDO itself and $250,000 from the City of Saskatoon.

Gerdts said it’s incredible how much costs have gone up in the last year and a half alone.

“Due to increases in construction and inflation and issues or challenges with the supply chain, we’re expecting to see the larger budget and an overrun in the budget,” he said.

Gerdts said to make sure the project goes ahead, he is asking for another $20 million from the federal government, $4.1 million more from the Saskatchewan government, and another $50,000 from the City of Saskatoon in 2025.

VIDO will also increase its own contribution by $2 million.

If the extra money isn’t approved, Gerdts said VIDO will have to get creative.

“We’ll have to look overall (at) how we can make it work,” he said. “One of the elements that we then have to look at is how we possibly can find other sources or maybe build it in a phased approach.”

A new $28-million vaccine manufacturing facility was completed in June.

VIDO also hopes to become a Level 4 containment lab — the highest level of biosecurity — when the new centre is eventually built. It would allow researchers there to work with the most serious and deadly human and animal diseases. It’s currently a Level 3 lab.

Gerdts is to make a presentation to Saskatoon’s Governance and Priorities Committee at its next meeting on Monday. City council ultimately is to make the decision on whether to approve any funding.