Province says sending evidence to federal facility can delay court cases
The Alberta government has announced an $8.9 million investment in its 2026 budget to establish Western Canada’s first provincial forensic DNA laboratory, expected to bring down the average cost per case by up to 40 percent.
“The justice system must work fairly, efficiently and transparently to maintain public confidence,” said Mickey Amery, Alberta’s justice minister, in a news release. “By bringing forensic DNA testing here to Alberta, we are helping move investigations and court proceedings forward faster, with stronger, more reliable evidence.”
The provincial government plans to situate the Alberta forensic DNA laboratory in the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) facility in Sherwood Park after renovations later this year.
The Alberta government will take a phased approach to opening the new lab to ensure that it can be ready to operate and comply with global accreditation standards. The province intends to employ over 40 full-time employees there.
By 2029, the provincial government expects to start accepting DNA evidence from break-ins, thefts, and other property crimes. By 2031, Alberta intends to include homicides and sexual assaults, among other serious crimes.
Currently, provincial police need to submit most DNA evidence gathered to the RCMP national forensic laboratory, often leading to wait times lasting months, longer investigations, and protracted court proceedings.
The Alberta government noted that it submits more evidence for DNA testing than any other province. Alberta has paid $6.9 million to the federal lab for 2025–26, representing a 50 percent increase since 2014–15.
The provincial government estimates that each DNA test costs around $2,482 when processed via the federal system.
To achieve its aim of operating the new lab at net-zero cost to its taxpayers by 2031, the Alberta government intends to negotiate a new funding agreement with the Canadian government, similar to those already in force in Ontario and Quebec.
New lab’s goals
In its news release, the provincial government explained that the Alberta forensic DNA laboratory will seek to:
- Assist prosecutors in strengthening their cases
- Help victims get answers more speedily
- Decrease wait times
- Reduce the DNA testing costs shouldered by municipalities and taxpayers
“Victims shouldn't have to wait years for closure while evidence sits on a shelf in another province,” said Mike Ellis, Alberta’s public safety and emergency services minister. “We are bringing DNA testing home to Alberta to speed up prosecutions, protect our communities and ensure that justice is served at the speed Albertans expect.”
The Alberta government added that the new lab will aim to help police:
- Hasten their investigations
- Identify suspects more quickly
- Submit more evidence for testing in connection with property offences, which often impact rural communities
