life sciences and biosciences sector

Key Industries

Life Sciences

Winnipeg's bioscience sector offers significant growth opportunities in three areas: agricultural biotechnology, health biotechnology and environmental biotechnology. These sectors support Manitoba's leading export industry, pharmaceutical and medicinal manufacturing, which ranks as the second largest in Canada. The province also hosts several life sciences research and development centres, including the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, home to Canada's only Level 4 bio-containment laboratory.

Supported by a young, skilled workforce and bolstered by assets such as the Provincial Data Repository and CentrePort Canada, the country's largest tri-modal transportation hub, this sector leads in developing and commercializing breakthrough technologies—these advantages position Winnipeg as a leader in the national and global life sciences industries.

Life sciences companies and organizations grow stronger in Winnipeg because of our:

Central location: North America’s geographic centre with the continent’s largest trimodal inland port.
Low-cost renewable electricity: Among the lowest published electricity rates in North America.
R&D tax credits: Best-in-country provincial top-up credit through the Scientific Research & Experimental Development Credit.
Highly educated labour force: There are over 40 post-secondary programs in the life science sector.

Winnipeg Success Stories

Cerebra Health

Cerebra Health is advancing the next stage of sleep through diagnostic tools and technology. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Cerebra is a leader in its field, providing accurate, self-applied, in-home support to its customers.

Kane Biotech Inc.

Kane Biotech Inc. is a Winnipeg-based technology company developing and commercializing products that prevent and remove microbial biofilms. Kane Biotech's offices and laboratories are in the University of Manitoba's Smartpark Innovation Hub, a world-class research and technology park.

Prairie Biologics Accelerator

The University of Manitoba received funding to build the Prairie Biologics Accelerator, a 21,000-square-foot bio secure facility to increase lab capacity for pre-clinical vaccine testing for high-risk pathogens. It will also include a pre-clinical vaccine testing space with Containment Level 3 AG laboratory capabilities.

These labs will enable Manitoba researchers and private sector partners to develop next-generation vaccines using artificial intelligence and machine learning to create predictive models for drug development and biomanufacturing at scale.

Genvion

Genvion Corporation is a reliable partner in drug development, delivery and supply of pharmaceutical products. Genvion's world-class operation, located in Winnipeg, is designed and maintained according to current good manufacturing practices (cGMP).

Fast FactsSource: Statistics Canada

$1795M

GDP
(Statistics Canada 2022)
243

Businesses in Winnipeg
(Statistics Canada 2023)
8,006

Employment
(Statistics Canada 2023)

Research and Development

Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals
St. Boniface Research Hospital
Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory
JC Wilt Infectious Diseases Research Centre

Key Network

Bioscience Association Manitoba

Bioscience Association Manitoba (BAM) supports members across the province in agricultural, health and cleantech biotechnology. BAM helps members connect with key stakeholders and government officials by encouraging innovative partnerships.

Research Manitoba

Research Manitoba supports local talent development by providing research support to early career researchers and graduate students. It also fosters strategic partnerships to strengthen research and innovation in Manitoba.