Life Sciences
Where does life sciences innovation thrive in Canada?
British Columbia is alive with scientific innovation and home to Canada’s fastest growing life sciences sectors:
- Rapid Sector Expansion: the life sciences sector’s contribution to B.C.’s GDP grew by 27% since 2021, outpacing overall provincial growth and reinforcing the sector’s role as a key economic driver.
- Collaborative Innovation Ecosystem: grounded in academic excellence, specialized talent and strong partnerships.
- Strong Foundations for Scale: supported by advanced infrastructure and sustained investment.
B.C. is Canada’s Innovation Engine for Life Sciences
B.C. is Canada’s innovation engine for life sciences, home to the fastest-growing life sciences sector in the country, driven by scientific excellence. The life sciences sector’s contribution to B.C.’s GDP grew by 27% since 2021, outpacing overall provincial growth and reinforcing the sector’s role as a key economic driver. The sector is characterized by a supportive and cohesive ecosystem of academic excellence, talent, partnerships, infrastructure and investment.
Industry Highlights
2,000
B.C. is home to over 2,000 life sciences companies
Life Sciences Sector Profile (March 2026)#1
B.C. has the fastest-growing life sciences sector in Canada over the past decade
Life Sciences Sector Profile (March 2026)#1
B.C. has the fastest growth in life sciences compensation among Canadian provinces over the past three years
Life Sciences Sector Profile (March 2026)Sector Employment
Learn What Makes B.C. A Global Hub For Life Sciences And Biomanufacturing
Competitive Advantages of B.C.’s Life Sciences Sector
Bio-innovation excellence
B.C. is a leading centre for scientific innovation, with the sector demonstrating a particular strength in research and development (R&D). In 2024, the R&D industry, a subset of the Research, Testing and Medical Laboratories industry group, accounted for 30% of the sector’s total employment, the highest share in Canada. This strength is further reinforced by growing clinical trial capacity, including two new Phase 1 facilities and a third in development, with specialized units at Vancouver General Hospital and Mount Saint Joseph Hospital supporting early-stage cancer and non-cancer therapies.
Ideal location
As British Columbia’s prime location on Canada’s Pacific coast, immediately north of Washington State, provides a natural gateway to Asia as well as easy access to the United States. Collaboration across time zones is enabled by B.C.’s consistent Pacific time, which overlaps with morning work hours in Asia, afternoon hours in Europe, and aligns closely with California and Washington state for much of the year.
Supportive government
Life sciences businesses in British Columbia benefit from the province’s open and diversified economy, advantageous location, attractive investment climate and skilled workforce. Through the Look West Strategy, the government is supporting the growth of priority sectors—including life sciences and biomanufacturing—by advancing major projects, streamlining processes and attracting investment. Canadian controlled businesses in B.C. may qualify for a scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) tax credit top up of 10% if they qualify for the federal government SR&ED tax credit of up to 35%. In addition, the small business venture capital tax credit encourages investors to make equity capital investments in B.C. small businesses. This gives B.C. entrepreneurs access to early-stage venture capital to help them expand and develop their businesses.
Skilled and educated workforce
At the forefront of innovation and research in the industry, B.C.’s 25 public post-secondary institutions offer a range of health sciences and applied and natural sciences training programs in areas such as biotechnology, microbiology and immunology, molecular biology, genetics, clinical genetics technology, behavioral neurosciences, and biomedical engineering and technology. Under the Look West Strategy, the government is strengthening workforce development by aligning talent, programs and policy to support high-growth sectors such as life sciences and biomanufacturing. The BC Biomanufacturing Training Facility (BCBTF), in partnership with the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL) located on the campus of the BC Institute of Technology, offers hands-on biomanufacturing training to current and future industry employees. Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub, led by the University of British Columbia, is training the next generation of multidisciplinary talent while advancing research in biomedical engineering.
Local partners
B.C.’s life sciences sector is highly collaborative, and supported by industry organizations and accelerators, governmental organizations, universities and research hospitals, and other organizations that co-ordinate and fund research and clinical trials. The sector has a strong industry association, Life Sciences BC, representing the B.C. life sciences community at local, national and international levels. The new Clinical Support and Research Centre (CSRC) at the new St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, will bring medical staff and researchers together – along with academic, industry researchers to explore new frontiers in bioengineering, nanotechnology, virtual reality, augmented reality and simulation. Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub (CIEBH), led by the University of British Columbia, further strengthens the ecosystem by advancing biomanufacturing innovation and fostering collaboration across academia, industry and government. These partnerships forged in the province between researchers, academia, clinicians and industry, community organizations and government agencies facilitate the development, transfer and commercialization of knowledge.
Resources and Tools
Industry Organizations
Government Programs
Life Sciences Sector News & Stories
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