About Us
As the number of human genome sequences increases, the ability to share and reuse resulting data is critical in fostering innovations in basic and biomedical research.
Canada has established foundational projects and datasets representing research and clinically derived genome sequences.
In 2023, the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), funded the development of a Pan-Canadian Genome Library (PCGL) aimed at the management and sharing of human genomic data.
The PCGL initiative unifies Canada’s human genome sequencing efforts and sets out a central, federated data management system that leverages international standards and respects limitations on the jurisdictional and cultural movement of human genetic data. The PCGL architecture includes integration of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) principles, and data coordination guided by international standards.
Studies with genomic and phenotypic data will be able to utilize some or all the services available through the PCGL to archive and facilitate the responsible use and sharing of the genomic data they have generated.

Ecosystem
Canada already has a rich ecosystem of genomic data projects and platforms that have been developing over the years. The PCGL will not replace existing projects/ platforms but work with them and address the critical gap and need for long-term sustainability and access to Canadian human genomic data.
The PCGL works with retrospective projects and new projects to ingest their genomic data, and associated clinical and phenotypic data, to provide long-term archival and data access mechanisms. The PCGL relies on compute and storage infrastructure made available by the SecureData4Health project, funded by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation.
Core Elements
The main objective of the PCGL is to archive and facilitate the responsible use and sharing of Canadian human genomic data. This requires a number of core elements from projects intending to use PCGL services that can be divided into categories: (1) policy and governance and (2) clinical, phenotypic and genetic data.
The Team
Led out of McGill University, the team is composed of experts from 6 Canadian provinces, and includes patient partners, Early Career Researchers, individuals with established relationships with Indigenous other underrepresented communities.