Alberta is home to Canada’s largest and only province-wide, fully integrated healthcare system, serving a diverse population of nearly 4.4 million patients. This unified system allows for streamlined access to high quality, robust patient data. Precipitated by emerging local companies and highly skilled talent, investors have an opportunity to be part of this dynamic and growing sector developing products and services for world markets.

Sector Profile

Driven to create the future of health

Calgary is home to world-class research and treatment facilities.  

Alberta Health Services programs and services are offered at more than 900 facilities throughout the province, including hospitals, clinics, continuing care facilities, cancer centres, mental health facilities and community health sites. 

The University of Calgary is a top 5 research university in Canada for sponsored research funding and is leading innovation in precision oncology, precision diagnostics, biomedical engineering, microbiome and neuroscience.   

Alberta Children’s Hospital

The Alberta Children’s Hospital is the largest children’s hospital in the prairie provinces, driving innovation in pediatrics.  

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Calgary Cancer Centre 

The Calgary Cancer Centre will be the largest cancer care and research facility in Canada and the second largest in North America (opening 2023) 

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Cumming School of Medicine

University of Calgary’s medical school, focused on research and innovation in medical sciences. The school conducts life and medical sciences research across 7 research institutes. Significant investments have been made in platforms areas of precision imaging, microbiome, genomics, informatics and clinical trials.

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Clinical Trials

24 per cent of Canadian trials are conducted in Alberta. The province has more than 850 trial sites with HQP, REB Exchange for multisite trials and a patient engagement platform. 

The Calgary Centre for Clinical Research (CCCR) offers support and resources for industry-sponsored research projects while IMPACT supports startups in conducting clinical trials and securing regulatory approvals.   

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International Microbiome Centre

This research centre is designed to investigate the microbiome of humans, plants, animals and the physical environment using the world’s largest germ-free facility, real-time imaging and droid robotics.

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Ward of the 21st Century (W21C)

W21C research team and living laboratory conducts health systems research for new technologies, prototypical hospital design, novel approaches to health care delivery, and human factors research.

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calgary+life sciences Albertas Data Assets

Calgary's life sciences ecosystem

Learn how our unique strengths are positioning Calgary at the forefront of a thriving life sciences ecosystem.

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Investing in digital transformation

Digital transformation (DX) spend in Alberta’s life sciences and health sector is projected to be $1.3 billion by 2024, growing at a compound annual rate of over 12% per year. For example, Alberta Health Services’ $459 Million investment into the Connect Care Clinical Information System (CIS) unites date from over 1,300 different systems at over 400 facilities in the province. See how life sciences is leading digital transformation on our DX spend dashboard.

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Calgary is an opportunity-rich city.

Our interactive investment map highlights the foreign direct investment (FDI) that has taken place in the Calgary area over the past 6 years.

Explore Investment in Calgary

Diagnostics

Alberta’s global metabolomics leadership, business culture, and consolidated healthcare delivery offer an unprecedented opportunity to support a vibrant precision diagnostic industry. Alberta has distinct advantages including a single health authority and the largest fully integrated health system in Canada. Strategic clinical networks to drive innovation and its implementation across the health system, advanced and comprehensive health information systems and database assets and world-leading clinical, methodological and analytic expertise.

Digital health & medical devices

Calgary’s industry presence of companies developing digital health, health IT, and medical devices is strong with companies in these two categories representing over 60% of the number of organizations in the Calgary life sciences ecosystem. With the demand higher than ever for efficient delivery of healthcare services, Calgary is well positioned to seize the emerging opportunities in the global healthcare industry.

Oncology

Calgary is already a global leader in research and the treatment of cancer. The new Calgary Cancer Centre, set to open in 2023, will increase capacity and add to Calgary’s already leading role in cancer services.

Want to learn more? Get in touch

Contact
Lin web 2022 500x500
Lin Tang

Business Development Manager, Life Sciences

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