Invest in Canadian Synthetic Biology to Meet Commitments to Sustainable Development and Support Economic Recovery

Abstract

Canadian post-COVID-19 economic recovery efforts have been framed around values aligned with Canada's commitments to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily concerning environmental sustainability. The field of synthetic biology (synbio) offers many innovative ways to achieve these goals while growing the economy. Here, we discuss the opportunity for Canada to become a leader in clean technology applications of synbio. Investments in synthetic biology, which has traditionally been underfunded compared to other countries, will have beneficial impacts on the environment while driving Canada's post-pandemic economic recovery.