Minister Joly announces over $99 million investment in Canada’s life sciences sector

Minister Joly announces over $99 million investment in Canada’s life sciences sector

Announcement marks focus on building Canada’s life sciences sector into global leader, bolstering industrial capacity, economic growth and high-quality jobs in Canada

August 27, 2026 – Vancouver, British Columbia 

Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, joined by the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister Responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, Wade Grant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and the Honourable Adrian Dix, British Columbia Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, announced a Strategic Response Fund investment totalling nearly $100 million in British Columbia–based life sciences companies Kardium Inc. and Evonik Canada Inc. At a time of economic uncertainty as tariffs reshape the global trade landscape, the Government of Canada is investing in our capacity to produce, innovate and manufacture here at home.

This investment includes a contribution of up to $31.25 million toward Kardium’s $125 million project to create a world-class manufacturing facility for advanced medical devices in Burnaby, British Columbia. Kardium has developed the Globe® Pulsed Field System, a novel medical device designed for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia. The device, an integrated mapping and ablation solution, received regulatory approval from Health Canada in July 2026 and from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in September 2025. The project will enable Kardium to expand its cleanroom capacity from 500 units a year to 30,000 to meet growing market demand, create and maintain a total of 1,000 highly skilled jobs in British Columbia, and retain its intellectual property in Canada.