February 19, 2026 - Access to Innovation is next week!

This week:

• Highlights from BC Budget 2026-27
• Canada announces first defence industrial strategy
• Bolster your team and streamline entry-level recruitment
• Important workforce survey and roundtable opportunity

Finance Minister Brenda Bailey tabled BC's 2026-27 budget

Life sciences was reiterated as a strategic sector for the province. Some highlights from the budget include announcement of the $400M Strategic Investment fund to be run by the Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth. BC’s Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit (SRED) was modified by removing the sunset clause and aligning it with federal changes. The budget also references the possible creation of a patent box regime, which could provide a reduced tax rate on income earned from intellectual property in BC. It commits to consulting with industry and the federal government, for possible implementation in 2028. Read more.  

Prime Minister Carney launches Canada’s first Defence Industrial Strategy

The $6.6-billion “Buy Canadian” plan promises to prioritize building military equipment at home, hike the share of defence contracts awarded to Canadian firms and add up to 125,000 new jobs over the next decade. The goal, Carney said, is to go from using domestic defence procurement for roughly one-third of Canada’s needs to around 70 per cent. Canada will also boost government investment in defence related research and development by 85 per cent to expand its capabilities in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics and autonomous systems. Read more (Global News).

Seeking Entry Level Biotech Employees? 4-week Placements at No Cost.

Calling all Biotech Employers! Access CASTL-trained, job-ready trainees through government-supported, 4-week placements at zero cost. Trainees will have industry-aligned lab skills, foundational knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and be ready to work in controlled cleanroom environments. To learn more, please contact: mauricio@castlcanada.ca.

Important Workforce Survey and Roundtable opportunity

BioTalent Canada and the Immigration Employment Council of BC are seeking important workforce data from BC life sciences employers. Your insights will provide a better understanding of employer barriers, needs, and best practices for hiring, integrating, and retaining internationally trained professionals in the BC life sciences economy, and help inform practical strategies to strengthen the capacity of BC employers and to support workforce integration.

LSBC is urging employers to support this initiative by taking 8 to 10 minutes to complete this short survey with remuneration provided and participate in a round table on March 6, 2026.

Round Table Opportunity Details:

Hosted by BioTalent Canada and IECBC

Date: March 6, 2026

Location: Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport (3099 Corvette Way, Richmond BC)

Register: For more information and/or to register, please contact Colleen Hayes at chayes@biotalent.ca

Note: Travel and Parking will be reimbursed and for out-of-town attendees (over 100km travel, meals and accommodations will be covered.)

Member Highlights 

Arbutus Medical raises $9.3M to accelerate growth of surgical workflow solutions outside the OR. This financing follows a year of strong commercial momentum for Arbutus and positions the company to continue rapidly scaling its commercial footprint. Over the past 12 months, Arbutus has grown its U.S. customer base by 80%, from approximately 50 to nearly 90 hospitals, reflecting accelerating demand across trauma and emergency care settings. Read more.

Merck announces Health Canada Approval of KEYTRUDA SC™, across multiple cancer indications. Read more.

Industry Highlights 

The Government of Canada is investing over $13 million to support 23 community projects across Northern and Western Canada. The funding will expand addiction treatment, prevention, and harm reduction services, including cultural appropriate supports for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. Read more

Health Canada is investing more than $11.4 million through the Emergency Treatment Fund (ETF) to support eight Ontario projects addressing urgent needs related to the illegal drug crisis, strengthening local capacity for treatment. Read more

People on the Move

Congratulations to Brian McManus, for stepping into a new position as an Associate Director – MSAT at AbCellera. Read more

Applications Open

The CanExport Innovation program opens February 24, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. ET for only 24 hours. The program provides funding to Canadian organizations to support collaborative and international R&D partnerships and activities that help advance and commercialize Canadian technologies globally. Learn more

The Denver Global Landing Pad offers Canadian biotech and MedTech startups the opportunity to showcase their solutions to investors, buyers and government leaders in the Denver Market. The program runs September 9-11, 2026 and targets seed to Series A companies with demonstrated traction. To apply e-mail Denver-based Canadian Trade Commissioner david.b.smith@international.gc.ca with cc to nicole.vanhove@international.gc.ca. Application deadline: April 30, 2026. Learn more

The Academic Campus at the BIO International Convention is a program designed for universities and research centres to showcase innovations, connect with partners and access BIO partnering at a discounted rate. Participants gain visibility with pharma, investors and business development leaders to help advance commercialization opportunities. Learn more

See our expanded list of current life sciences opportunities on our website.

Membership Spotlight

Renaissance Bioscience is a biotechnology company specializing in the development and commercialization of innovative yeast-based solutions. Leveraging advanced genetic engineering techniques and yeast’s affordability and safety positions us uniquely to address challenges in various industries including agriculture, Food & Beverage, and health. With a commitment to sustainability and technological excellence, Renaissance creates safe, effective products that redefine industry standards. Learn more

Until next week!

LSBC Team

February 25 - The 11th Annual Access to Innovation conference brings together leaders from industry, research, government and health care to discuss how BC’s life-sciences innovations move from discovery to real-world impact. This year focuses on trends shaping the sector, including the growing role of AI, and offers talks, panels and networking opportunities

May 11-14 - The Web Summit is one of the worlds largest and most influential technology gatherings. In collaboration with our partners, Life Sciences BC is supporting and initiating a range of activities around Web Summit Vancouver to facilitate connection, visibility, and engagement across the life sciences sector.



Arbutus Medical Raises C$9.3M to Accelerate Growth of Surgical Workflow Solutions Outside the OR

Arbutus Medical has raised C$9.3 million to accelerate the growth of its surgical workflow solutions outside the operating room, supporting product development and market expansion in environments such as interventional suites and procedural areas... Read more

Powering the Next Generation of Nuclear Medicine Trailblazers

BCIT Foundation and INITIO Medical Group are supporting nuclear medicine students through scholarships and industry partnership. Their support helps train the next generation of nuclear medicine professionals and strengthen BC’s healthcare workforce... Read more

FDA approves RYBREVANT FASPRO™ (amivantamab and hyaluronidase-lpuj) as the only EGFR-targeted Therapy that can be Administered Once a Month

U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Rybrevant Faspro (amivantamab with hyaluronidase-lpuj) as the only once-monthly EGFR-targeted therapy for certain patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer, providing a more convenient treatment option... Read more

RYBREVANT FASPRO™ (amivantamab and hyaluronidase-lpuj) receives U.S. FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for Patients with Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Rybrevant Faspro (amivantamab and hyaluronidase-lpuj) received U.S. FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for advanced head and neck cancer, helping speed development for patients with limited treatment options... Read more

Health Canada Approves KEYTRUDA SC™, A Subcutaneous Formulation of Pembrolizumab Across Multiple Cancer Indications

Health Canada has approved Keytruda SC, a subcutaneous (under-the-skin) version of pembrolizumab, for use across multiple cancer indications. The new formulation offers a faster, more convenient alternative to intravenous infusion while maintaining similar effectiveness and safety... Read more

Cellares Selects the Netherlands for European Headquarters and Smart Factory

Cellares has chosen the Netherlands for its European headquarters and Smart Factory, expanding automated cell therapy manufacturing and increasing production capacity across Europe... Read more

UBC-led Team Receives Horizon Europe Funding to Improve Community-Based Care in Uganda and Kenya

A UBC-led team received Horizon Europe funding to improve community-based care for children in Uganda and Kenya, using digital tools and local health workers to support patients after hospital discharge...Read more

Bausch Health’s OraPharma Celebrates 25 Years of ARESTIN® (minocycline HCl) Microspheres

Bausch Health’s OraPharma marks 25 years of ARESTIN®, a locally delivered antibiotic used to treat adult gum disease, highlighting its long-standing role in periodontal care... Read more

Eisai Maintains Commitment to People Living with Early Alzheimer’s Disease Despite CDA-AMC Draft Recommendation: Patients Deserve Access to Effective Treatment

Eisai reaffirmed its commitment to people with early Alzheimer’s disease after a draft reimbursement recommendation did not support public coverage of LEQEMBI® (lecanemab), and continues to advocate for patient access in Canada... Read more

Memberships and Sponsorships Specialist Co-op

This role offers a dynamic blend of tasks and projects, providing a fantastic opportunity for the selected candidate to immerse themselves in the operations of a professional sciences industry association. A Memberships and Sponsorships Specialist (Co-op) supports member engagement, sponsorship coordination, and event initiatives... Learn more

Logistics Specialist (Part-Time)

SignalChem Biotech Inc. is seeking a part-time Logistics Specialist to support inventory coordination, shipments, and order fulfillment. The role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and experience in logistics or supply chain operations... Learn more

Technical Support Specialist

The role provides scientific and technical support to customers, troubleshooting complex issues and offering solutions for cell and molecular biology products... Learn more

Full Stack Developer

This role involves working across frontend and backend systems, collaborating with machine learning engineers, and helping scale prototypes into production-ready applications in a fast-paced, innovative environment... Learn more

Machine Learning Engineer 

The role focuses on collaborating with cross-functional teams to turn research into scalable, production-ready solutions while optimizing model performance... Learn more

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