A discussion is provided of the Canadian biotechnology industry. Canada rates just behind the U.S. in number of companies and productivity of biotechnology discovery. The Canadian workforce of scientists is very talented and strongly supported by government, industry, and academia. Canada has networks of centers of excellence (NCE) in research field in which corporations, universities, and public sector agencies partner to enhance the national health and economy of Canada. NCE's twenty-two research nets identify intellectual research resources from throughout the nation and apply the research as applicable to solve important industry problems and to benefit citizens. Nine of the NCE networks concentrate on the medical and health sectors, including arthritis, vaccines, genetic disease, protein engineering, stem cell, and many other research initiatives. The work of Xenon Genetics, GlycoDesign, Variation Biotechnologies, Accurate Biogene Systems, Miikana Therapeutics, and Trillium Therapeutics is described. For instance, one area of research for Xenon Genetics is low-levels of good cholesterol (HDL-C), a common lipid abnormality that affects about 40% of patients suffering from cardiovascular disease. Xeon researchers have been able to demonstrate that mutations in the ABC1 gene are the leading contributors to a familial form of HDL deficiency and that ABC1 gene mutations are also the leading contributors to a much more common form of low HDL-C known as familial HDL deficiency.