▁some ▁debate , ▁the ▁spot ▁chosen ▁for ▁the ▁site ▁was ▁a ▁city ▁works ▁yard ▁near ▁to ▁the ▁Health ▁Sciences ▁Centre ▁( a ▁major ▁teaching ▁hospital ), ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Man it oba ' s ▁medical ▁school , ▁and ▁other ▁life ▁science ▁organizations . ▁Const ruction ▁of ▁the ▁facility ▁that ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁named ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Science ▁Centre ▁for ▁Human ▁and ▁Animal ▁Health ▁( o ften ▁referred ▁to ▁locally ▁as ▁" the ▁V iro log y ▁Lab ") ▁began ▁with ▁an ▁official ▁ground - bre aking ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁The ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁design ▁team ▁of ▁Toronto - based ▁Dun lop ▁Arch itect s ▁and ▁W inn ip eg - based ▁Smith ▁Carter ▁Arch itect s ▁and ▁Engine ers ▁visited ▁ 3 0 ▁labor ator ies ▁to ▁seek ▁best ▁practices ▁in ▁contain ment ▁and ▁design . ▁Const ruction ▁was ▁largely ▁complete ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁programs ▁beginning ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁and ▁all ▁labor ator ies ▁coming ▁on ▁line ▁after ▁that . ▁The ▁official ▁opening ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁S AR S ▁out break ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁the ▁Public ▁Health ▁Agency ▁of ▁Canada ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁stronger ▁focus ▁on ▁public ▁health ▁and ▁emer gency ▁prepared ness ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁federal ▁Health ▁Port folio ▁( al ong ▁with ▁Health