Groundbreaking: ‘The Edge’ to House Western Canada’s First Advanced Therapeutics Manufacturing Facility

On December 15, 2025, UBC Properties Trust joined project partners to officially break ground on The Edge, a new six-storey, multi-use building at the heart of UBC Vancouver’s campus. The facility will be the future home of the purpose built Advanced Therapeutics Manufacturing Facility (ATMF), a flagship project of Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub (CIEBH).

The ATMF will be the first facility of its kind in Western Canada and will significantly strengthen Canada’s ability to develop, test, and manufacture clinical-grade therapeutics. Once complete, the 2,300-square metre Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility will enable researchers and biotech start-ups to produce regenerative medicines, vaccines, and cell therapies for early stage clinical trials, and provide an avenue for these to be commercialized and brought to market.

In 2023, UBC Properties Trust explored options for accommodating specialized lab space on campus to support the Advanced Therapeutics Manufacturing Facility. After a review of existing buildings, nothing could be retrofitted to meet the stringent requirements for clean rooms and infrastructure. A new, purpose-built facility was the solution. To make the project viable, Properties Trust identified a site south of the UBC Bus Transit Exchange, leased the land and began the design process.

The resulting design, now known as The Edge, offers the community two levels of commercial retail space, including a grocery store and four upper floors of customized lab and office space to support the ATMF and other research tenants. This collaborative approach enabled UBC to secure provincial funding, as it ensured the facility could be delivered by the government’s 2028 deadline.

The facility is being delivered on an accelerated timeline to meet federal and provincial funding requirements. UBC Properties Trust advanced the project from initial design through to groundbreaking in just 18 months, an achievement made possible through collaboration with Campus + Community Planning, UBC’s Faculty of Medicine, and the project’s team of consultants, lead by Acton Ostry Architects.

The Province of British Columbia recently announced $33 million in funding to support Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub, reinforcing its commitment to driving health research, biomanufacturing capacity, and innovation infrastructure within the province.

“This important investment in Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub builds on UBC’s global strength in life sciences and ensures that health research breakthroughs made in B.C. can be developed, manufactured, and delivered to improve lives here and around the world,” said Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, President and Vice-Chancellor of UBC. “UBC is grateful to the Government of British Columbia for their partnership and critical support of research and innovation infrastructure.”

The Advanced Therapeutics Manufacturing Facility is co-led by Dr. Megan Levings, professor of surgery and biomedical engineering at UBC, and Dr. Robert Holt, professor of medical genetics at UBC, professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at Simon Fraser University, and distinguished scientist at BC Cancer.

“At UBC Properties Trust, our mission has always been to create innovative, purpose-built spaces that enable excellence,” said Aubrey Kelly, President and CEO, UBC Properties Trust. “Over the years, we’ve delivered facilities that support groundbreaking work in technology, medicine, and science, work that is shaping the future of Canada and beyond. These investments help solidify UBC’s position as a globally recognized education leader in research, learning, and innovation. I’m proud to say that we were able to advance this building from design through to groundbreaking today in just a year and a half, an achievement that reflects both the dedication of our partners and the importance of meeting federal and provincial funding timelines. This efficiency ensures the university can fully realize the benefits of this critical public investment.”

This project builds on Property Trust’s strong development track record. In 2024 alone, UBC Properties Trust added 600,000 square feet of new space to the UBC Vancouver campus. The Edge further supports the long-term vision of developing a complete, year-round academic community where research, innovation, livability, and sustainability converge.

UBC Properties Trust acknowledges the leadership of Minister Ravi Kahlon, Dr. Megan Levings, and all project partners for their contributions to this transformative facility. This groundbreaking is a key milestone in Canada’s growing life sciences sector and the growth of UBC Properties Trust’s portfolio.