Canada’s biggest taxonomy lab to call Esquimalt home

Canada’s biggest taxonomy lab to call Esquimalt home

Published 1:30 pm Thursday, August 6, 2026

Canada’s biggest taxonomy lab, rooted in Victoria, supporting environmental monitoring programs across the country for decades, is moving to Esquimalt.

Biologica Environmental Services Ltd., established in 1994 as a specialized aquatic environmental laboratory, currently houses 34 scientists, technicians, taxonomists, and support staff in 488F Bay Street.

Speaking to Victoria News, president Tara Macdonald said that they chose to move to Esquimalt because they think it is an operational fit, is a more transit-accessible location with cycling infrastructure, and most prominently, is a natural fit, given that it is located within Esquimalt’s marine community.

The move was mainly triggered by a need for industrial zoning and a lot of office space, as well as a lab.

“I’m realizing what a vibrant community it [Esquimalt] is…So, I’m kind of looking forward to that part of it,” she said.

Their primary service is to receive samples from aquatic habitats that are being monitored, and to identify and count the critters such as worms, clams, insects or other species.

The service is helpful for industries that are putting effluent into the water, such as mining, oil and gas, municipal water quality monitoring, pulp and paper, and aquaculture.

They look for algae, zooplankton, invertebrates, and sediment-dwelling invertebrates in freshwater and marine habitats. They are a full-service laboratory for taxonomy, where they have expertise in aquatic habitats across marine, freshwater and estuarine systems.

The company extends support to projects including environmental impact assessments, environmental risk assessments, aquatic effects monitoring programs, and ambient monitoring programs.

Their strength is their knowledge in a lot of different services, which makes them strong across the board, Macdonald said.

Speaking of why the company is prominent among those providing similar services in Canada, she said that the rare expertise makes them stand out.

“To become a person who’s really skilled at identifying a certain group of invertebrates or algae or zooplankton takes many years…They’re kind of experts in that work alone,” she said.

“I think what distinguishes us is we’re really a collection of these experts.”