Canada's radiopharmaceutical build-out is a precision-parts story too

Three facility investments in five weeks, capped by Jubilant's CAD 94.5M Kirkland expansion, are adding domestic isotope and radiopharma capacity. That capacity runs on ISO 13485 precision components.

Canada added a run of domestic radiopharmaceutical capacity through September and into October 2026. On October 8, Jubilant's Radiopharma business (Jubilant DraxImage) said it will invest CAD 94.5 million to modernize and expand its Kirkland, Quebec facility and double output of RUBY-FILL, its rubidium-82 cardiac PET agent. The federal government is contributing CAD 23.8 million through the Strategic Response Fund. The project is expected to create and maintain 225 jobs and support 35 student co-op placements.

It is not a one-off. In September, AtomVie Global Radiopharma opened a facility in Hamilton, Ontario after investing more than C$160 million, a 72,300 square foot build the company says raises its capacity more than tenfold. ISOLOGIC opened new facilities in Lachine, Quebec on September 1, a roughly $30 million investment.

Why a drug story is also a parts story

Radiopharmaceutical and isotope production is precision manufacturing with a regulatory overlay. Hot cells, shielded enclosures, synthesis and dispensing modules, cleanroom fixtures, mounts and fluid-handling hardware all have to be machined and fabricated to tight tolerances, in the right materials, with documentation. Device and component work for this sector runs under ISO 13485, and material traceability is not optional. When a company adds a facility or doubles a line, the demand does not stop at the drug. It pulls through fixtures, tooling, enclosures and spares, much of which can be made domestically.

What this means if you source medical or isotope parts in Canada

Two things follow. First, the capacity being funded is in Ontario and Quebec, close to the machining and fabrication base that can support it. Second, the bar to win that work is a documented quality system, ISO 13485 for device work or at minimum a traceable ISO 9001 shop for supporting hardware, not just price. If you are specifying components for a radiopharma or isotope line, the medical shops that can genuinely take the job are the ones that already carry the certification and can produce material certs on request.

FAQ

What certification do medical and isotope parts suppliers need?

ISO 13485 for medical device components, and at minimum a traceable ISO 9001 quality system for supporting hardware and fixtures. Material traceability (mill certs on request) is expected, not optional, for regulated work.

Where is this capacity being built?

The September and October 2026 investments are concentrated in Ontario (AtomVie, Hamilton) and Quebec (Jubilant, Kirkland; ISOLOGIC, Lachine), close to the machining and fabrication base that supports them.

Last reviewed: October 2026. Investment figures are from the company and government releases cited below.