The British Columbia government has announced its plans to build a new plant and animal health centre to monitor, detect and prevent the spread of diseases such as avian flu.
It says the current centre is about 30 years old, suffered "extensive damages" during the 2021 flooding in Abbotsford and needs to be replaced to meet increasing testing demands.
The province says the centre handles more than 10,000 cases each year, helping to detect and monitor for diseases such as avian influenza, West Nile virus and chronic wasting disease.
A provincial news release says the government has now approved up to $496 million to purchase the land for the new centre in Abbotsford, build the new facility and buy equipment.
Construction is expected to begin in 2027 with a goal of being operational by 2032.
Agriculture Minister Lana Popham says in the release that farmers, producers and processors rely on fast and accurate testing at such facilities to keep their animals healthy and operations running smoothly.
"This new centre will help producers prevent and respond to disease threats, protect our food supply and support public health," she says in the release.
"This is a forward-looking investment that will strengthen B.C.'s agriculture sector and safeguard food security for generations to come."
The new centre will be located at 34252 King Rd., just off Highway 1 and next to the University of the Fraser Valley's Abbotsford campus.
