Bio-based industrial products are an emerging segment of the Canadian life sciences Industry. Manufactured using biomass, such as raw materials derived from agricultural crops, trees, plants, animals, microorganisms and organic residues, bio-based industrial products have the potential to deliver value-added products in traditional sectors, as well as launch new growth industries based on novel technologies for the sustainable use of renewable resources. A wide range of bioproducts is already on the market. In many instances, multiple innovative products are derived from a single, raw, biological material. The great potential of this industry has been recognized in both the Canadian Biotechnology Strategy and the Canadian Innovation Summit, and the federal government is pursuing initiatives to foster the growth of the bioproducts industry.

As a first step in pursuing its initiatives, the federal government led a network of business people, academics, consultants and government personnel in developing an Innovation Roadmap. This roadmap identifies technology based opportunities for utilizing Canada’s abundant bioresources in order to grow the economy while protecting the environment. Innovation Roadmap on Bio-based Feedstocks, Fuels and Industrial Products (PDF)

The rising cost of petroleum, the decreasing cost of biomass, and advances in process and biotechnologies are just a few of the many forces that are driving the trend towards bio-based industrial products. Canada is well endowed with biomass resources, and the bio-based industrial products industry offers multiple opportunities to develop innovative environmental technologies that address the rising challenge of climate change and sustainable industrial development. Finally, growth in the bio-based industrial products industry stimulates economic development, particularly in rural communities, by creating new employment opportunities around the processing of raw materials from agricultural and forest sources.

Bioproducts Sector Overview(pdf)