Alberta spins up its carbon fibre industry

November 28, 2025

Edmonton, AB - Made in Alberta, built for the world. That’s the idea behind Alberta Innovates’ new – and Canada’s first – carbon fibre production research facility, which opened its doors to industry today.

(Left to right: Andreas Rendel, Austrian Ambassador to Canada; Brianna Morris, Alberta Innovates; Michele Evans, Assistant Deputy Minister, PrairiesCan; Keren Tang, City Councillor, Edmonton; Neil Yaremchuk, Alberta Innovates; Brian Jean, Minister of Energy and Materials; Mike Mahon, CEO Alberta Innovates; Bryan Helfenbaum, Alberta Innovates; Tom Whalen, Alberta Innovates; John Zhou, former Vice President Clean Resources, Alberta Innovates (retired))

Canada’s first carbon fibre production facility opens in Edmonton

Carbon fibre is made with petroleum-based products that are exported around the world. It is changing what’s possible for mobility, energy, defence and infrastructure. 

It’s five times stronger than steel and is expected to drive the next generation of vehicles, wind turbines, aerospace advances, pipelines and fuel cells. Its applications are endless – but its price is currently prohibitive. 

Carbon fibre derived from Canadian bitumen has the potential to reduce the cost of carbon fibre production and as a result, unlock new applications for its use.

“At Alberta Innovates, we don’t just see carbon fibre as a material – we see it as a catalyst,” says Alberta Innovates CEO Mike Mahon. “A conduit for cleaner energy, smarter design and resilient systems. It’s where science meets sustainability, and where Alberta’s ingenuity takes flight.”

The state-of-the-art facility, located at Alberta Innovates’ InnoTech facilities in Edmonton, was made possible by $10 million in funding from Prairies Economic Development Canada, and over $1 million in facility upgrades funded by Infrastructure Alberta. It offers industry access to pre-commercial-scale production and testing, as well as expertise in hydrocarbon processing and carbon fibre development. 

“By using bitumen for high-value applications, Alberta is increasing the economic return on each barrel, while establishing the Canadian market for carbon fibre products.” says Brian Jean, Minister of Energy and Minerals Alberta.

“By using Alberta bitumen to produce the high-value materials that power the industries of tomorrow, we’re expanding the opportunities that this resource has created for generations,” says the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan). “This new Carbon Fibre Processing Facility will turn Alberta’s vast bitumen reserves into world-class carbon fibre, opening new markets and creating new opportunities for our province and the Prairie economy. Through investing in projects like this, our government is empowering businesses to innovate, protecting good jobs and building the strongest economy in the G7.”

The facility’s first clients will be the finalists of the Alberta Innovates Carbon Fibre Grand Challenge, a $20 million competition to accelerate the development of production for carbon fibre from bitumen-derived feedstocks and promote their use in manufactured products.

“One of the main challenges innovation faces is the gap between laboratory research and commercialization, often due to the lack of pilot-scale infrastructure,” says Yasmine Abdin, President & COO, Fibernx, a BC-based carbon fibre company that will be relocating to Alberta to be one of the facility’s first clients. “This facility allows us to validate our current manufacturing processes on a larger scale and identify the adjustments needed for real-life production. This facility serves as the vital link between research and manufacturing, to enable faster commercialization of carbon fibre technologies.”

For more information on the Carbon Fibre Facility, visit https://albertainnovates.ca/alberta-carbon-fibre-processing-facility/

Carbon fibre facts

  • Carbon fibre is up to five times stronger than steel, and is also electrically and thermally conductive
  • Professional hockey players, including Connor McDavid use sticks made of carbon fibre
  • Many new commercial aircraft are made of over 50 per cent carbon fibre reinforced plastics, saving significant weight and fuel
  • It is used to make X-ray-transparent parts for medical equipment like CT scanners, and for durable, flexible prosthetics
  • Carbon fibre allows for the creation of longer, more rigid blades for wind turbines, making them more efficient
  • Carbon fibre has enormous untapped potential in automotive, construction, composites, defence, and infrastructure which can be unlocked with a lower-cost product

Facility details

  • It is Canada’s only industry accessible, fully integrated carbon fibre test facility — from feedstock preparation to final fibre production.
  • It is the only facility in the world that uses bitumen from Canadian oil sands as a carbon fibre feedstock which is significantly less greenhouse-gas-intensive than traditional feedstock.
  • Using bitumen for carbon fibre production has the potential to increase the economic return on each barrel.
  • The facility is open to all industries looking to test and scale carbon fibre-based manufacturing processes
  • Its capabilities span small-batch runs to continuous pilot-scale processing, giving innovators flexible pathways from concept to commercialization.
  • Backed by 15+ years of expertise in hydrocarbon processing and carbon fibre development, the facility combines infrastructure and expertise to accelerate innovation in carbon fibre production from bitumen.
  • The facility includes:

Media Contact