Saskatoon canola breeding facility gets $27M expansion

A major expansion at a Saskatoon canola breeding facility will speed the development of new seed varieties and help Saskatchewan farmers keep the bins full.

A major expansion at a Saskatoon canola breeding facility will accelerate the development of new seed varieties and help give Saskatchewan farmers the edge they need to keep the bins full.

BASF Agricultural Solutions is investing $27 million to expand its canola breeding facility in Saskatoon, a move the company says will accelerate crop innovation and support prairie farmers.

Construction is underway on the Canola Breeding Centre of Innovation following a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, with the project expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

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BASF says the expansion will increase breeding capacity and introduce advanced automation to speed up the development of new canola varieties.

The Saskatoon site plays a key role in BASF’s global canola research efforts, supporting growers in North America and beyond. The company says the investment will strengthen Saskatchewan’s position as a hub for agricultural innovation while contributing to the provincial economy.

According to BASF, the upgrades will help deliver improved InVigor hybrid canola, including higher yields, better disease resistance and enhanced performance.

New infrastructure at the facility will include precision-controlled growing environments, high-throughput automation systems and a research-grade glasshouse. The technology is intended to support genomic selection, allowing researchers to make faster and more precise breeding decisions.

The company says those improvements will shorten development timelines for new hybrids and improve its ability to respond to evolving challenges such as disease pressure and changing growing conditions.

The investment comes as BASF marks 30 years of its InVigor canola program, which the company says has contributed to productivity gains for growers worldwide.