In an unusual move, Sanofi (SNY) is urging the Toronto City Council to restrict development of a nearby residential property over concerns that the height of two planned towers could make it easier to spy on an expanding vaccine facility and, consequently, jeopardize Canadian national security.
The issue arose after a local property developer two years ago submitted plans to erect towers that would be more than 30 stories high and a few hundred yards from an existing facility, which Sanofi plans to expand with $360 million in backing from the federal and Ontario provincial governments. The residential location has housed a small apartment building for the past few decades.
Concern has been bubbling up, but gained added attention as the pandemic progresses and the residential project application undergoes further review. The drugmaker, which already makes adult and pediatric vaccines at its facility, argues that adding hundreds of residential units that will overlook its growing campus will make it difficult to securely conduct research and manufacturing work.
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