Pacific Environmental Science Centre

Established in 2005, the Pacific Environmental Science Centre (PESC), located on a 55-acre urban conservation area on Burrard Inlet in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, accommodates 50 full-time ECCC engineers, chemists, biologists and supporting technical and administrative staff.

The Pacific Yukon Laboratory for Environmental Testing (PYLET) has specialized laboratory facilities providing chemical, biological, toxicological and toxicogenomic analysis in support of many departmental programs, enabling ECCC to meet its obligations under the Canada Water Act, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, and Fisheries Act.

Accredited to ISO 17025 standards, PYLET’s laboratories provide scientific data to support ECCC freshwater quality monitoring programs and legal laboratory services to support wildlife and environmental enforcement related investigations. PYLET supports emerging priorities through development and application of methods for chemical analysis. 

PYLET’s Toxicology unit, equipped to house both freshwater and marine water organisms and conduct associated bioassays, is ECCC’s hub for aquatic toxicogenomic activities, including the development of methods for the application of gene expression to deleterious effects in aquatic life. Specialized equipment including quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (QT-PCR) and DNA sequencing equipment enable DNA identification of botanical and wildlife species in support of wildlife forensic projects.

Environment and Climate Change Canada Shellfish Water Classification Program staff located at PESC are responsible for coordinating and conducting marine water quality monitoring surveys in British Columbia. Three ISO 17025 microbiology laboratories, including one main laboratory at PESC and two mobile laboratories are used to process samples in support of ECCC’s mandate under the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program. Through conduct of comprehensive water quality surveys, monitoring of marine water quality in shellfish harvesting areas, and identification of sources of pollution that can impact harvest areas, recommendations are made to contribute directly to the wellbeing of Canadians by protecting public health.