Montreal, QC – March 19, 2026 – The Pan-Canadian Genome Library (PCGL) is pleased to announce that it has been selected as part of the first cohort of recipients in the National Data Spaces Pilot Funding Call. This pilot, launched by the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance), supports research groups in developing leading practices, standards, and methods for managing and sharing data within their disciplines.
With the Alliance’s support, the PCGL has been awarded $1 million to advance its work in creating a national data repository for human genomic and health data. This funding will enhance the PCGL’s capacity to optimize long-term governance, improve technical integration, and expand secure data-access mechanisms for genomic data across Canada.
“The PCGL represents the culmination of years of work from many teams across the country to build a platform that will support the management and sharing of genomic and health data,” says Guillaume Bourque, Ph.D, Lead of the PCGL and Professor of Human Genetics at McGill University . “This recognition from the Alliance confirms that the PCGL is a vital national asset that is needed to accelerate Canadian research.”
“More than ever, we need to come together as one connected community to advance a national vision for how compute, data and people drive global impact,” says Michael Schull, MSc, CEO of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada. “With this Pilot, we are taking a critical step toward building an integrated Canadian Research Data Platform, which is foundational for a sovereign digital research ecosystem that empowers our researchers to lead on the international stage.”
This latest investment builds on the momentum established through previous support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Genome Canada. CIHR is the PCGL’s inaugural funder, having committed $15 million over five years at the project’s inception in 2023.
Genome Canada has since awarded $1.9 million to support the secure storage and responsible sharing of genomic data generated through projects within its Canadian Precision Health Initiative (CPHI). Launched by Genome Canada in 2025, the CPHI aims to generate 100,000 genomes that reflect the diversity of Canada’s population.
The PCGL is currently integrating 10,000 whole genomes from HostSeq, a national genomic health initiative led by CGEn, a PCGL partner. As Canada’s national platform for genome sequencing and analysis, CGEn is also supporting high-quality genomic data generation for the CPHI.
Together, these investments reinforce PCGL’s position as an emerging National Data Space, enabling it to advance its mission of building a cohesive genomic data ecosystem that fuels research and supports precision health across the country.
“The Pan-Canadian Genome Library represents a critical step toward building a coordinated, data management system for human genomic and health data,” says Dr. Christopher McMaster, Scientific Director of CIHR Institute of Genetics. “CIHR is pleased to see the continued support from the Digital Research Alliance of Canada for the advancement of the PCGL and strengthening Canada’s genomics data ecosystem.”
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The Digital Research Alliance of Canada
The Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance) advances and maintains digital research infrastructure (DRI) to support the management, storage and use of national research computing, data and research software. A non-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada, the Alliance serves researchers by improving data access, collaborating with DRI partners, nurturing the DRI workforce, integrating services and enhancing security. DRI is a critical national asset, and the Alliance leverages its capacities to support cutting-edge research and innovation across all disciplines — propelling Canadian research forward now and into the future.
The Pan-Canadian Genome Library
The Pan-Canadian Genome Library (PCGL) is a national initiative that unites human genomic data from research studies into a national repository. Acting as a secure library, the PCGL safeguards genomic data and facilitates its responsible sharing to ensure researchers can access the information needed to make new discoveries.