The Alberta government is putting $8.9 million toward building Western Canada’s first provincial forensic DNA laboratory, a move officials say will bypass federal backlogs and “fast-track” criminal justice.
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Announced as part of Budget 2026, the facility will be located within the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams building in Sherwood Park.
Currently, Alberta police services must send most biological evidence to federal RCMP laboratories, a process that can take months.
“Alberta will no longer outsource our public safety to Ottawa,” said Mike Ellis, minister of public safety and emergency services, in a May 5 release. “Victims shouldn’t have to wait years for closure while evidence sits on a shelf in another province.”
The government expects the lab to open in stages. By 2029, the facility is slated to begin processing evidence from property crimes like break-ins and thefts. By 2031, the province plans to expand services to include serious violent crimes, including homicides and sexual assaults.
Beyond speed, the province is eyeing significant cost savings. Alberta currently sends more DNA evidence for testing than any other province, with costs reaching about $2,482 per test through the federal system.
Officials estimate the provincial lab will lower the average cost per case by 40 per cent.
The province also intends to negotiate a funding agreement with the federal government similar to those held by Ontario and Quebec. The goal is to have the lab operate at a net-zero cost to provincial taxpayers by 2031.
Al Murphy, president of the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police, welcomed the investment, noting that faster results will directly support investigations and help “deliver timely answers for victims.”
The new laboratory is expected to employ approximately 41 full-time staff once fully operational.
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