UBC’s BioProducts Institute is helping industry commercialize B.C. forestry biproducts and supporting B.C. businesses
| Client | University of British Columbia – BioProducts Institute |
| Project | Scaling Up B.C.'s Bio-based Products |
| Location | Vancouver, B.C. |
| Program | Regional Innovation Ecosystem (RIE) |
| Sector | Advanced Manufacturing, Clean technology, Forestry |
What if leftover waste and residues from British Columbia's forests could be turned into useful and sustainable new products?
Forest residues can be transformed into biodegradable materials that replace conventional plastic-based, single-use products, enabling new products ranging from protective equipment to filtration media and advanced materials.
The idea is simple: make better use of what B.C.'s forests already produce to create products that use less plastic while creating new opportunities for one of the province's most important industries.
Reinventing a key provincial industry
For many years, the pulp and paper sector has been an important part of British Columbia's forestry industry, supporting jobs and the provincial economy. In recent years, however, the sector has faced challenges including lower demand, supply pressures and trade issues such as softwood lumber tariffs.
One promising pathway is the development of sustainable bio-based products. Instead of relying only on paper production, mills can use forest residues to create higher-value materials for sectors such as healthcare, personal care, agriculture, filtration and advanced manufacturing. This shift helps create new business opportunities for the forestry industry, while supporting Canada's move toward a more circular economy, where materials are reused and waste is reduced.
Accelerating bioproduct innovation
To accelerate this transition, PacifiCan, on behalf of the Government of Canada, invested $3.5 million in the University of British Columbia's BioProducts Institute, a world-leading research centre in bio-based products. This investment supported the “Scaling-Up B.C.'s Bio-based Products” project, which helps researchers, entrepreneurs and companies move new ideas from the lab to the marketplace (YouTube, 2:19 minutes). Through the project, B.C. startups and businesses can access specialized equipment, testing facilities, technical expertise and commercialization support that help reduce the risks and costs of bringing new products to market.
This integrated innovation model was a key reason for PacifiCan's investment. UBC's BioProducts Institute is one of Canada's few environments where advanced research, pilot-scale testing, commercialization expertise and industrial partnerships come together under one roof to accelerate the translation of sustainable bioproduct technologies from discovery to market.
With PacifiCan’s investment, UBC upgraded the BioProducts Institute's laboratories (YouTube, 57 seconds), with specialized equipment that allows B.C. innovators to develop, test and refine new products before moving to large-scale production. This reduces technical and commercial risks for industry while increasing confidence to invest in emerging technologies.
Photo: Wet spinning machine at the UBC BioProducts Institute used to produce continuous fibres from polymer and biopolymer solutions.
Photo: Cardboard spool wrapped with crisscrossed clear thread made from sustainable polymer using wet spinning.
The program also provides practical support for B.C. businesses, including prototype development, market analysis, cost and feasibility studies, environmental assessments and commercialization planning. Together, these services help promising ideas become market-ready products, fostering the commercialization of Canadian-made bio-based products and solutions.
Economic impact
PacifiCan's investment is helping researchers and businesses develop new products, attract investment and create jobs in British Columbia's growing bioeconomy. The project has supported eight B.C.-based bioeconomy startups that are translating research into commercially viable products, including Performance BioFilaments, Plantee Bioplastics, Simplifyber, Bioform Technologies, ReAct Materials, Baerfell, Fibernx Technologies and MycoFoundry, which are developing innovative products from renewable materials.
To date, the project has delivered strong results, including:
- Training 42 highly qualified personnel and creating 34 highly skilled jobs.
- Generating over $11 million in research and development spending.
- Bringing six new products, services and technologies to market.
- Developing five prototypes ready for testing and demonstration.
The upgraded facilities have also attracted strong interest from industry, receiving approximately 30 expressions of interest from B.C. innovators looking to develop new bioproduct technologies. The success of this initiative has also helped launch UBC's Accelerating Technology Readiness Program, which continues to support companies as they move toward commercial production.
Looking ahead
Building on this progress, Phase 2 of the project is expanding support to help more ideas become commercial products. Researchers, manufacturers, industry experts and end users are working together to speed up product development, engineering, environmental testing and large-scale production. The program is also expanding beyond forestry into industries such as mining and clean technology, while broadening participation by Indigenous businesses and other underrepresented entrepreneurs.
By transforming forest residues into valuable new products, UBC's BioProducts Institute is helping redefine the future of British Columbia's forestry sector. With PacifiCan's support, B.C. businesses are innovating, creating jobs, reducing waste and building a stronger, more sustainable economy.
“Scaling up development of high-value, bio-based materials from cellulose and lignin will generate economic and social benefits for B.C. and increase the long-term competitiveness of its forest sector. UBC’s BioProducts Institute, together with the BioAlliance and industry partners, is working to catalyze the diversification of the forest industry into sustainable markets. We are grateful to Pacific Economic Development Canada for this funding, which supports our efforts to accelerate the growth of British Columbia's bioeconomy, in alignment with the province's goals to accelerate technological and economic growth and improve environmental sustainability.”
-Professor Orlando Rojas, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Forest Bioproducts and Scientific Director, UBC BioProducts Institute
Learn more about:
- UBC BioProducts Institute and its research projects
- PacifiCan’s Regional Innovation Ecosystems (RIE) program