In 2025, Innovate UK, working with the UK Science and Technology Network, delivered a Global Expert Mission (GEM) to Canada to explore opportunities for UK-Canada collaboration in engineering biology- the application of engineering principles to biological systems to create sustainable, scalable solutions.
The mission brought together UK experts from industry, academia and policy to assess Canada’s engineering biology ecosystem and identify collaboration opportunities across three priority areas:
- Agri-food– novel food production and sustainable crop inputs
- Clean technology- bio-based alternatives to petrochemical feedstocks for fuels and materials
- Environmental solutions– including plastic remediation and critical mineral recovery
Critical Minerals & Metal Recovery
A major focus of the environmental solutions theme was the role of engineering biology in critical minerals and metals recovery- a strategic priority for Canada given its global position in mineral production and its national drive to strengthen secure, sustainable supply chains.
Engineering biology offers emerging tools that could transform how valuable metals are extracted, recovered and recycled. Opportunities identified during the mission include:
- Mining waste and tailings– using engineered microbes to extract residual metals from low-grade ores and historic waste streams
- Water and wastewater systems– applying biosorption and biomineralisation techniques to capture dissolved metals
- Industrial by-products– recovering critical elements from secondary streams to support circular economy models
These biological approaches have the potential to:
- Reduce the environmental footprint of conventional mining processes
- Unlock value from materials that are currently uneconomic to process
- Support circular supply chains for battery materials, rare earth elements and strategic metals
Canada’s strong mining base, research infrastructure and supportive policy environment make it an attractive partner for UK innovators developing bio-based extraction, bioleaching and metal recovery technologies.
Strengthening UK-Canada Collaboration
The mission confirmed that Canada has a highly capable and receptive engineering biology ecosystem, underpinned by leading universities, federal and provincial support programmes, and active private sector engagement.
Both countries share complementary strengths in research, innovation and commercialisation. The GEM findings highlight clear opportunities to build bilateral partnerships, inform joint funding initiatives, and accelerate international R&D in emerging bio-based industries- particularly in areas such as sustainable mining and critical mineral circularity.
At Elemental, we’ll be watching this space closely and are excited to see how UK-Canada collaboration on critical minerals and engineering biology continues to evolve.
Read the full Outcome Report- Global Expert Mission: Engineering Biology in Canada 2025 here.