This summer, BC will take an important step toward becoming a more competitive destination for clinical trials.

A new provincial strategy, set for release in June, will chart a coordinated path toward shared goals and faster, more efficient processes.

While BC already has strong clinical research expertise and growing activity, the system itself has not kept pace. Sponsors and researchers can face long startup timelines and fragmented processes, making it harder for the province to compete for new trials and investment.

The upcoming strategy is designed to change that. It focuses on aligning efforts across health authorities, research institutes, industry, and government to make it easier to start and run clinical trials in BC.

“There’s a lot to build on when it comes to clinical trials in BC,” says Alison Orth, Director of Clinical Trials British Columbia. “This strategy brings people together around what’s already working and helps us move forward in a more coordinated way.”

Clinical Trials British Columbia, part of Health Research BC, is leading this work as a provincial convener. Working with partners across sectors and communities, it will support implementation across the province, with shared accountability and results.

At its core, the strategy is about coordination. Over the next three years, it will focus on:

• Reducing start-up times and streamlining processes
• Improving alignment with national clinical trials initiatives
• Expanding access to trials across more communities
• Strengthening BC’s position as a destination for clinical trials and investment

These barriers have been well understood for years. What was needed was a clear path forward with tangible actions and outcomes that will lead to a more competitive environment. Health Research BC helped bring those priorities together through an expert working group to shape a strategy building on existing strengths while identifying critical gaps. The result is a coordinated action plan designed to deliver meaningful change over the coming years.

The strategy builds on a foundation that has been growing in recent years.

Recent successes demonstrate growing momentum across BC:

• Expanded adoption of the provincial Clinical Trials Management System, now used at 88 sites across all regional health authorities, the Provincial Health Services Authority, and Providence Research, supporting more than 950 active clinical trials and 1,625 research staff.
• New investments in early-stage research, including the opening of two Phase 1 facilities, with a third set to launch in summer 2026.
• Growing a skilled workforce through province-wide training, with widely used programs supporting more than 1,400 learners each year in clinical research and research ethics.
• Advancing recruitment in a person-centred way, with more than 1,700 researchers using REACH BC to reach their enrolment goals.

Together, these efforts point to a system that is evolving and ready for a more coordinated approach.

With this strategy, BC is positioning itself to increase opportunities for patients, strengthen the health system, and enhance economic growth across the province.

Learn more about BC’s vibrant clinical trials ecosystem: Why Bring Your Clinical Trial to British Columbia.

“This new strategy will advance key priorities for improving BC’s clinical trials ecosystem and creates a clear roadmap forward aligned with provincial and national efforts. I look forward to seeing how it develops over its three-year implementation.”

– Dr. Wyeth Wasserman

PROVINCIAL EXPERT WORKING GROUP MEMBER
VICE DEAN, RESEARCH AT UBC’S FACULTY OF MEDICINE

“British Columbia has a wealth of potential and expertise in its clinical research and life sciences communities. I am excited to see this strategy move forward and the benefits it will confer not only on patients and communities, but also growing clinical research professionals and industry relationships.”

– Dr. Federica Di Palma

PROVINCIAL EXPERT WORKING GROUP MEMBER
VICE PRESIDENT, RESEARCH, LABORATORY SERVICES & THE BC CENTRE FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND CHIEF HEALTH GENOMICS OFFICER, PROVINCIAL HEALTH SERVICES AUTHORITY