Since its adoption within the Canadian justice investigative landscape in 1989, DNA typing analysis has evolved quickly to allow processing of ever more minute and/or compromised biological samples associated with crime scenes, missing persons cases and mass disasters. Improvements to these initial DNA-based technologies logically led to the identification of robust genetic markers via collaborative work between Canada, the US and the UK. These markers, when combined with highly sensitive detection methods, revolutionized forensic human identification in the mid-1990’s and were eventually included into STR megaplexes used worldwide today.

Thereafter, the development of automated processes in 1999 for the analysis of convicted offender samples was instrumental to the establishment of the National DNA Data Bank (NDDB) which opened in 2000. Further refinements in robotics allowed processing of Break and Enter samples in 2003 and all crime scene samples submitted to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police National Forensic Laboratory Services since 2005. Significant increases in case processing efficiency were gained in the Canadian forensic laboratories by the implementation of automated processes.

The inclusion of lineage markers (mitochondrial and Y) to the genetic tools assisted with missing persons cases and sexual assault cases. More recently, sequencing-based technologies and SNP-based markers are being considered or used to provide additional genetic information.

This presentation will highlight contributions made by the forensic community (federal and provincial forensic laboratories) in Canada to the forensic DNA typing analysis pipelines and will showcase some of the noteworthy criminal and disaster victim identification cases solved by these various DNA technologies.