Scientists and political leaders are blasting a Canadian government decision to scrap plans to build an $88-million facility to develop experimental HIV vaccines in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CTV reports.

In canceling the project, announced three years, ago, the government cited a Gates Foundation study it said found that North America and Europe already have sufficient manufacturing capacity to meet HIV researchers’ needs.

The government said it remains committed to an overall $111-million, five-year collaboration with Gates on HIV prevention but did not specify potential future projects.