Support from the British Columbia government will equip University of Victoria (UVic) researchers and students with facilities and systems required to advance new discovery in quantum computing, life sciences, natural resources and clean tech.
On Thursday, the BC government announced an investment of $1.9 million in 10 UVic research projects through the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund, supporting their Look West strategy to grow jobs and strengthen the economy in BC and Canada.
As a major research university, UVic serves as a convening hub across government, industry, and Indigenous and community partners. This investment helps our internationally recognized researchers continue to lead in their fields and advances the university’s vision of creating a better world through engagement and innovation,”
—Lisa Kalynchuk, UVic vice-president of research and innovation
Building a community for quantum research
In its announcement, the government highlighted UVic’s growing leadership in quantum computing. The support provides infrastructure required to advance quantum technologies, strengthen industry partnerships and train the next generation of quantum experts.
“Quantum has so much potential to solve real-world problems and to create new knowledge in fundamental science,” says Thomas Baker, Canada Research Chair in Quantum Computing for Modelling of Molecules and Materials. ”Support such as the BC Knowledge Development Fund is helping to feed the growing interest and activity in quantum fields among researchers, students and industry.”
So what is quantum science and technology? It studies how the universe behaves at extremely tiny scales — smaller than atoms, or at the subatomic level. At that scale, particles act in ways that don’t match our everyday experiences. Scientists explore these unusual behaviors to build new technologies, such as quantum computers, quantum sensors, and advanced quantum materials.
These advances could potentially accelerate research data processing, speed up drug discoveries and reduce energy use in computers for a cleaner future.
Boost BC’s research and innovation ecosystem
The provincial investment into UVic’s research infrastructure was announced during the Quantum Days 2026 conference in Victoria, which convenes hundreds of people from seven countries on three continents. Learn more about quantum research at UVic.
The provincial fund will also support projects in key sectors including clean tech, climate and ecosystem science, life sciences, advanced manufacturing and Earth‑observation technologies.
