Cellular Agriculture

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Cellular agriculture, or food biomanufacturing, is the process of using precision fermentation, cell cultivation or tissue engineering to make various foods, ingredients and even textiles that are usually made through traditional agriculture and manufacturing.

Cellular AgricultureA global opportunity to expand food production

Cellular agriculture is a significant global opportunity to expand food production while still complementing traditional ways of producing food. This new method uses engineering biology as a platform technology to create food ingredients, products and materials for various industries, including food and textile sectors, in sustainable ways.

Since 2019, Ontario Genomics has been driving the growth of cellular agriculture in Ontario and Canada, and we currently support several companies in our BioCreate accelerator program to help them get their products to market faster.

As a new way of producing food, cellular agriculture companies present an alternative and sustainable way to produce proteins, ingredients, and other food or cultivated products.

Food ingredients include: proteins, enzymes, flavour molecules, vitamins, pigments and fats that can be incorporated into existing products to create hybrid goods.
Precision fermented products include: dairy, eggs, chocolate, honey and coffee.
Cultivated products include: red meat, poultry, seafood, foie gras and pet food.

Biomanufacturing like this can also be used in non-food products including cosmetics, textiles (leather, wool, silk and cotton, plastics) and vaccines.

Canadian Food Innovation Economic and Ecosystem Reports  

Along with outside experts and economists, Ontario Genomics has produced two nationally focused economic and ecosystem reports (below) to provide the critical data needed to grow Canada’s cellular agriculture industry and help the country reach its full economic potential in this sector.

We have identified three critical steps for Canada to take so it can achieve these benefits and capitalize on this rapidly expanding and high-potential global market in food innovation:

Prioritize a national vision and strategy for a Canadian cellular agriculture industry in the near term.
Take proactive evolution toward a clear, transparent, and agile regulatory framework for cellular agriculture products in Canada.
Provide additional supporting mechanisms for research and commercial development, building on the foundation already in place.

(March 2025) FOOD INNOVATION IN CANADA REPORT
An $18.8 Billion Opportunity in Precision Fermentation and Cultivated Foods

Microsite Report
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2025 Report

This follow-up report provides an updated global, national, and regional snapshot of the sector’s evolution and Canada’s progress on the initial 2021 recommendations. We reflect on global changes while readjusting our economic analysis and issuing a renewed call to action for advancing Canada’s leadership in this high-potential growth market.

The sector’s projected economic impact in Canada could reach CAD 18.8 billion, creating over 125,000 jobs, assuming optimal conditions and market share growth. However, seizing this opportunity requires urgent action and a nationally coordinated strategy. In addition, we spotlight Ontario as a high-potential province through a detailed case study, where the highest opportunity estimates Ontario could reach more than $13 billion in economic activity and 91,000 jobs.

(November 2021) CELLULAR AGRICULTURE
Canada’s $12.5 Billion Opportunity in Food Innovation

Download Executive Summary – Version Française

2021 Full Report

2021 Report

Led by Ontario Genomics and developed and written in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley, this report features extensive stakeholder input and an economic analysis, providing critical considerations for Canada’s emerging cellular agriculture industry.

Based on stakeholder consultations, as well as a review of literature and publicly available information, the report identifies three inter-connected actionable opportunities for Canada to capitalize on this rapidly expanding and high potential global market expected to approach US$100 billion in the next decade.

Ontario Genomics Initiatives in Food Innovation

Along with our economic and ecosystem reports, Ontario Genomics is involved with growing the cellular agriculture industry in Ontario and Canada through various projects and partnerships, including:

Consecon Foundation Funding (2024)

The Consecon Foundation has provided philanthropic funding to Ontario Genomics in support of our cellular agriculture initiatives in Ontario. We would also like to acknowledge their generous contribution to our 2025 Food Innovation in Canada report.

Delegation to the Netherlands (2023)

Ontario Genomics joined Global Affairs Canada and seven Canadian cellular agriculture and precision fermentation startups on a 3-day discovery mission to the Netherlands in May 2023. The Canadian Cellular Agriculture Delegation included Canadian precision fermentation and cultivated companies that connected with a range of groups in the Dutch cellular agriculture ecosystem, and hosted a Canadian ecosystem session at the F&A Next conference.

Canada’s Biggest Cultivated Project (2023)

Ontario Genomics and Genome Canada have funded the largest cultivated meat project in Canada. Led out of McMaster University, University of Guelph, University of Toronto and Collège la Cité, with industry partners, this $10 million project aims to grow food innovation in Ontario, Canada and beyond.

AcCELLerate-ON (2021)

Ontario Genomics and Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) launched AcCELLerate-ON, Canada’s first regional cellular agriculture competition. This program supported the future of food production through four projects chosen for their potential to drive food innovation, address industry opportunities, solve challenges, and benefit the cellular agriculture ecosystem and food and beverage industry in Ontario.

Publications

Explore reports, white papers and other Ontario Genomics engineering biology-focused publications.

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