News
KPU now home to Canada’s first agri-genomics Technology Access Centre (TAC)
Designation provides funding to support small and medium-sized enterprises with applied research and development services
July 17, 2025
By Greenhouse Canada
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU)’s Applied Genomics Centre (AGC) has become the first Technology Access Centre (TAC) in Canada dedicated to genomics and the first to focus on applied genomic services for the agriculture sector.
This designation, part of a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) funding package, positions Surrey’s KPU to drive agricultural innovation through at least 2030.
The AGC-TAC, supported by NSERC’s renewable five-year funding model, KPU, and industry partners, directly supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with customized research and development, unlike traditional academic centres.
AGC director Dr. Paul Adams noted this provides long-term funding, enabling the centre to deliver essential innovation services to companies that otherwise wouldn’t have access to this technology, leading to “healthier livestock and stronger crops — leading to higher yields and better financial stability”.
Since 2019, the AGC has collaborated with more than 60 partners, including local producers, government agencies, and Indigenous communities. Notable collaborations include Quebec-based Boviteq to enhance its in vitro fertilization platform, B.C.-based WestGen for new products and genetic tests, and kʷikʷəƛəm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation for water quality and salmon monitoring.
This national designation highlights how genomic research can empower B.C. food producers to feed the province and the world, according to B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Food, Lana Popham. With the global agricultural genomics market projected to reach $7–9 billion by 2030, this designation positions Canada at the forefront of this growth.
Read more about the recent TAC designation at Niagara College here.