--- title: "Biotech and life sciences office space in Calgary" description: "Where biotech and life sciences occupiers cluster in Calgary, what they pay, and what the typical fit-out looks like." canonical: https://classa.info/cities/calgary/industries/biotech-life-sciences pageType: city-industry lastUpdated: 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z license: "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info)." --- > Biotech and life sciences occupiers in Calgary typically cluster in Beltline, plan ~320 sqft per seat at high-end fit-out ($155–220/sqft), and pay around 32 CAD/sqft ($24 USD) on Class A. ## TL;DR - Preferred submarket: Beltline. - Typical fit-out spec: High-end ($155–220/sqft). - Plan ~320 sqft per seat for headcount sizing. - Class A rent context: 32 CAD/sqft ($24 USD). - Typical lease: 10 years with 18 months rent-free. - Talent depth in Calgary: 76/100. # Biotech and life sciences office space in Calgary **Biotech and life sciences occupiers in Calgary typically cluster in Beltline, plan ~320 sqft per seat at high-end [fit-out](/topics/fit-out-capex)">fit-out ($155–220/sqft), and pay around 32 CAD/sqft ($24 USD) on [Class A](/glossary/class-a).** ## TL;DR - Preferred submarket: Beltline. - Typical fit-out spec: High-end ($155–220/sqft). - Plan ~320 sqft per seat for headcount sizing. - Class A rent context: 32 CAD/sqft ($24 USD). - Typical lease: 10 years with 18 months rent-free. - Talent depth in Calgary: 76/100. ## Where they cluster Biotech and life sciences occupiers in Calgary typically anchor in Beltline. Tech, advertising, hospitality groups, professional services. ## What they pay Class A rent in Calgary runs 32 CAD/sqft ($24 USD) on a 10-year lease with 18 months free. Prime submarkets sit at or modestly above the city index. ## Spec and fit-out Typical biotech and life sciences fit-out targets high-end specification at $155–220/sqft. Branded reception, full client-facing programming, premium furniture, and specialist AV are standard. ## Headcount sizing Plan around 320 sqft per seat blended (workstation + circulation + amenity). A 100-headcount biotech office in Calgary typically targets 32,000 sqft of leasable area. ## Talent angle Cluster effects are decisive: PhD-grade talent concentrates near academic-medical anchors and translational research institutes. Strong energy, engineering, and finance talent. University of Calgary, SAIT, and Mount Royal anchor the regional pipeline. Strong tech talent migration since 2020 driven by tech HQ relocations and the +15 Skywalk's amenitized urban environment. ## Tax and lease context Headline corporate tax: 23%. Triple-net (NNN) structures with operating cost recoveries and property tax pass-throughs. 5-10 year terms standard. Free rent of 14-20 months and TI of CAD 60-90/sqft typical on a 10-year Class A deal. Most generous concession environment in major Canadian markets. ## Key facts | city | Calgary| | industry | Biotech and life sciences| | naics | 541714, 541715, 325412| | preferredSubmarket | Beltline| | preferredFitoutSpec | High-end| | fitoutBand | $155–220/sqft| | sqftPerSeat | 320| | classARentLocal | 32 CAD/sqft/yr| | classARentUsd | $24/sqft/yr| | vacancyPct | 28.4%| | typicalLeaseYears | 10| | typicalRentFreeMonths | 18| | talentIndex | 76| | corporateTaxPct | 23%| ## Frequently asked questions ****Where do biotech and life sciences occupiers lease office space in Calgary?**** : Most cluster in Beltline. Rent runs ~32 CAD/sqft ($24 USD) for trophy and prime stock. ****What fit-out spec do biotech and life sciences occupiers run in Calgary?**** : Typically high-end at $155–220/sqft. ****How much office space per seat should a biotech and life sciences occupier plan in Calgary?**** : Plan ~320 sqft per seat blended. A 100-person team typically takes 32,000 sqft. ****What NAICS codes describe the biotech and life sciences vertical?**** : Representative NAICS 2022 codes: 541714, 541715, 325412. ****What is the talent index in Calgary?**** : 76/100. Use the city profile for full detail. ## Related - [**Biotech and life sciences — global overview**](/industries/biotech-life-sciences) - [**Calgary — full city profile**](/cities/calgary) - [**Financial services in Calgary**](/cities/calgary/industries/financial-services) - [**Asset management in Calgary**](/cities/calgary/industries/asset-management) - [**Investment banking in Calgary**](/cities/calgary/industries/investment-banking) - [**Legal services in Calgary**](/cities/calgary/industries/legal-services) ## Editorial provenance Reviewed by [**Class A Atlas Editorial Desk**](/about/authors/class-a-atlas-editorial-desk) — House byline · global editorial team. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our [methodology](/about/methodology) and [editorial standards](/about/editorial-standards). ### Primary sources for this page - [CBRE Marketview reports](https://www.cbre.com/insights) — CBRE - [JLL Office Insight](https://www.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights) — JLL - [Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat](https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/insights) — Cushman & Wakefield - [Savills World Research](https://www.savills.com/research_articles/) — Savills - [Colliers Global Office Outlook](https://www.colliers.com/en/research) — Colliers [Full sources index](/about/sources) · [Submit a correction](/about/corrections) ## Related topics - [**Class A Lease Negotiation**](/topics/class-a-lease-negotiation) — How to negotiate a Class A office lease — the playbook from LOI to signed deal. - [**Hybrid Workplace Strategy**](/topics/hybrid-workplace-strategy) — How to size, structure, and lease a Class A office for a hybrid workforce. - [**ESG / LEED for Tenants**](/topics/esg-leed-tenants) — How tenants evaluate, negotiate, and report on ESG performance in a Class A office lease. - [**Cross-border Expansion**](/topics/cross-border-expansion) — How to run a coordinated Class A office search across multiple geographies. - [**Fit-out Capex**](/topics/fit-out-capex) — How to budget, sequence, and govern Class A office fit-out capex. - [**Lease vs Flex**](/topics/lease-vs-flex) — When premium flex (coworking, [managed office](/glossary/managed-office)) beats a conventional Class A lease — and vice versa. --- Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/cities/calgary/industries/biotech-life-sciences), updated 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z.