Exhibit 99.1

News release via Canada NewsWire, Vancouver 604-669-7764

	    Attention Business Editors:
	    Neovasc Completes $2 Million Non-Brokered Private Placement

	    <<
	    - Proceeds Will Advance Key New Products Including Completing CE Mark
	    Application for the Reducer(TM) Stent for Refractory Angina -

	    TSX Venture Exchange: NVC
	    >>

	    VANCOUVER, April 24 /CNW/ - Neovasc Inc. (TSXV: NVC) today announced that
it has completed a previously announced non-brokered private placement of
approximately 9.52 million units at the price of $0.21 per unit for aggregate
gross proceeds of $2.0 million. The proceeds of the offering will primarily be
used to complete the company's CE mark application for the Neovasc Reducer(TM)
product, an innovative stent for the treatment of refractory angina, and to
help fund continuing operations. The securities issued pursuant to the
offering will be subject to a four-month hold period in Canada from the date
of issuance.
	    Each unit consists of one common share of Neovasc and one-half of one
common share purchase warrant of Neovasc. Each whole warrant entitles the
holder thereof to purchase one common share of Neovasc at the exercise price
of $0.30 per share for a period of one year after the closing date of the
offering. The majority of the offering was placed with existing investors,
including members of the Frost Group LLC and company management.
	    "This financing will enable us to complete key development activities
central to the growth of our business, most importantly filing for European
regulatory approval to market our Reducer stent, which has the potential to
become one of the first effective treatments for refractory angina, a
debilitating condition affecting over two million patients in the United
States and Europe," said Alexei Marko, chief executive officer of Neovasc. "We
are now well positioned to execute on the focused growth strategy we
implemented late last year."

	    About Neovasc Inc.

	    Neovasc Inc. is a new specialty vascular device company that develops,
manufactures and markets medical devices for the rapidly growing vascular and
surgical marketplace. The company's current products include the Neovasc
Reducer(TM), a novel stent in development to treat refractory angina, as well
as a line of advanced biological tissue technologies that are used to enhance
surgical outcomes and as key components in a variety of third party medical
products. For more information, visit: www.neovasc.com.

	    About Frost Group, LLC

	    The Frost Group, LLC, is a private investment firm based in Miami. The
Frost Group is led by Dr. Phillip Frost, and includes Jane Hsiao, Ph.D., Rao
Uppaluri, Ph.D., and Steven D. Rubin, a team that has been together in various
capacities for over 22 years. Since its formation in October 2006, the Frost
Group has invested over $140 million in various companies and technologies in
the United States and abroad. These investments include stakes in the areas of
pharmaceuticals, diagnostic devices, medical devices, developmental education
and entertainment for children, telecommunications, sports licensing, aviation
services, software for seismic data analysis, and new materials for computer
chips.

	    Statements contained herein that are not based on historical or current
fact, including without limitation statements containing the words
"anticipates," "believes," "may," "continues," "estimates," "expects," and
"will" and words of similar import, constitute "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, events or
developments to be materially different from any future results, events or
developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such
factors include, among others, the following: general economic and business
conditions, both nationally and in the regions in which the Company operates;
history of losses and lack of and uncertainty of revenues, ability to obtain
required financing, receipt of regulatory approval of product candidates,
ability to properly integrate newly acquired businesses, technology changes;
competition; changes in business strategy or development plans; the ability to
attract and retain qualified personnel; existing governmental regulations and
changes in, or the failure to comply with, governmental regulations; liability
and other claims asserted against the Company; and other factors referenced in
the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators. Although the
Company believes that expectations conveyed by the forward-looking statements
are reasonable based on the information available to it on the date such
statements were made, no assurances can be given as to the future results,
approvals or achievements. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned
not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company
does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statements except
as otherwise required by applicable law.

	    %CIK: 0001399708

	    /For further information: Corporate contact: Neovasc Inc., Chris Clark,
(604) 248-4138; U.S. media & investor contact: GendeLLindheim BioCom Partners,
Barbara Lindheim, (212) 918-4650/
	    (NVC.)

CO:  Neovasc Inc.

CNW 07:34e 24-APR-09