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economist sunsuntribune business saturday oct 22 2005 pfizer picks markham health services company latest biotech firm to move by chris traber staff writer with its official opening friday pfiz er consumer healthcare canada becomes the newest corporate neigh bour in markhams fast growing bio- tech pharmaceutical and healthserv ices community with many of the companys 300 employees looking on vicepresident and general manager jon coleman wel comed guests and dignitaries including markham mayor don cousens markham mpp tony wong and federal minister of national revenue john mccauum the renovated 75000squarefoot location at 88 mcnabb st was selected as pfizers canadian head office princi pally on the benefits of living and doing business in markham mr coleman said we analyzed employee postal codes on a map when we first looked for potential locations and markham was very convenient for the majority of our colleagues he said markham itself was the main thing the municipality is known for innovation transportation infrastructure shops day care and all the benefits and conveniences were part of the decision the neighbourhood felt like the place to be were getting a cluster ofbiotechydrugand healthrelated companies from the gta and canada the 156year old companys admin istrative centre was designed to inspire employees with stafffriendly facilities and policies innovation thursdays are reserved for employees to gather in the central atrium to discuss weekly topics and share ideas other blocks of time must be voice and emailfree to allow staff unencumbered time to focus recre ation amenities such as ball hockey and basketball nets and company bicycles are available when workers need a diversion pfizers decision to relocate to markham from toronto is an endorse ment of markhams appeal as a com mercial centre mr cousens said were getting a cluster of biotech drug and healthrelated companies from the gta and canada he said theres real movement to markham for a combination of reasons the quali ty of life here is good business taxes compared to toronto are about 40 per cent less and these companies know theyre welcome pfizer specializes in an extensive range of nonprescription healthcare products from smoking cessation to cold and allergy relief and skin care rec ognizable brands include listerine polysporin and nicorette mr cousens offered the company a mayoral plug saying he uses pfizers purell hand sanitizer ten times daily anyone who shakes hands as often as i do needs to use it he said staff photosjoerd witteveen as part of its health strategy pfizer consumer healthcare provides four bicycles for employees to use during breaks markham mayor donald cousens left pfizer canadian vicepresident and general manager jon coleman and markham mp and energy minister john mccauum try out the bikes armadale free methodist church celebrates its 125th anniversary on sunday october 23 2005 at 300 pm 400 passmore ave 1 block south of steeles and west of markham road all are welcome