The Université de Montréal Biodiversity Centre was created thanks to the efforts of several researchers of the Institut de recherche en biologie végétale (IRBV). It is a centre of excellence in conservation and digitization of biological collections and in biodiversity research and training.

The new building of the Biodiversity Centre was designed according to the LEED green building standards and was built in the heart of the Montréal Botanical Garden. A large portion of the building is dedicated to housing several important collections of plants, insects and fungi. The Centre’s cutting edge laboratories gather about fifty researchers and students dedicated to the discovery and preservation of the natural heritage of Quebec, Canada and the world. Finally, the Centre also encourages the general public to learn more about biodiversity and biological collections by offering museum exhibits and activities in its exhibition hall.

The government of Quebec and the Canada Foundation for Innovation recognized the value of the Biodiversity Centre with a contribution of over 15 million dollars. The Biodiversity Centre was officially inaugurated in March 2011.