Canada has all the ingredients to become a global leader in the bioeconomy
The World Bioeconomy Association (WBA) has submitted an open letter to the Prime Minister of Canada, encouraging the Government of Canada to initiate the development of a National Bioeconomy Strategy.
Canada possesses exceptional renewable biological resources, world-class research institutions, strong industrial capabilities and a vibrant innovation ecosystem. A national bioeconomy strategy would strengthen competitiveness, create greater value from renewable resources, attract investment and support resilient domestic value chains.
Around the world, almost 30 countries, together with the European Union and the East African Community, have already adopted dedicated bioeconomy strategies, while nearly ten more are currently under development. Canada has an opportunity to join this growing group of economies.
The Right Honourable Mark Carney
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
Dear Prime Minister Carney,
As Executive Chair of the World Bioeconomy Association (WBA), I am writing because Canada has one of the world's strongest foundations for a competitive bioeconomy. With abundant forest, agricultural and marine resources, world-class research institutions, strong industrial capabilities, and an established innovation ecosystem, Canada has every ingredient needed to become a global bioeconomy leader. Yet it remains without a published, government-adopted national bioeconomy strategy.
Around the world, governments increasingly recognize that the bioeconomy is not simply another industrial sector, but a systemic transformation reshaping manufacturing, innovation, resource use and long-term economic competitiveness. To date, almost 30 countries, together with the European Union and the East African Community, have adopted dedicated bioeconomy strategies, while nearly ten more are currently under development. Canada has an opportunity to join this growing group of economies by adopting a national strategy that unlocks greater value from its exceptional renewable resources.
I therefore encourage your government to initiate the development of a National Bioeconomy Strategy for Canada. We believe such a strategy is critical to Canada's long-term competitiveness. It would complement the vision for forest-sector transformation set out in Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson's April 2026 final report of the Canadian Forest Sector Transformation Task Force, align with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's National Food Security Strategy, and support the priorities identified in your government's Halifax Statement.
The global bioeconomy is becoming one of the defining economic transformations of the twenty-first century. As Canada seeks to diversify its trade relationships and strengthen economic resilience, a National Bioeconomy Strategy would provide a long-term framework to connect Canada’s renewable resources, industrial capabilities, research excellence and innovation. It would help create greater value from Canadian biomass, strengthen domestic supply chains, support downstream industrial competitiveness, attract investment and accelerate innovation.
The global bioeconomy already represents an estimated USD 4–5 trillion economy and is projected to grow to approximately USD 30 trillion by 2050. Canada has an opportunity not only to participate in this growth, but to capture greater value from its renewable biological resources through domestic innovation, manufacturing and competitive value chains. Rather than exporting raw materials and importing higher-value manufactured products, Canada can generate greater investment, skilled employment and export growth by building competitive domestic value chains.
Canada has all the ingredients to become a global leader in the bioeconomy. The opportunity now is to translate that potential into coordinated national action that strengthens competitiveness, creates greater value from Canada's renewable resources, and delivers long-term prosperity.
We would welcome the opportunity to discuss how the World Bioeconomy Association can support Canada in developing and implementing a National Bioeconomy Strategy.
Respectfully,
Jukka Kantola
Founder, Executive Chair
World Bioeconomy Association
CC:
NRCan Minister Tim Hodgson
Corey Hogan, MP Calgary Confederation, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister Hodgson
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