SASKATOON -- The University of Saskatchewan (U of S) has been awarded $6.7 million from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation to help conserve bison populations and address challenges facing the cattle industry.

The five-year funded project is working with Indigenous communities to develop the world’s first bison genome biobank at U of S, according to a press release from the university.

“Working with our partners in the livestock industry, Indigenous groups and other leading academic institutions, we will place Canada on the global stage of animal conservation and production,” said U of S vice-president research Baljit Singh.

The bison population became nearly extinct 100 years ago due to colonization.

With bison conservation, the population has slowly risen but due to small genetically isolated herds and disease, bison remain at less than two per cent of their historic population of 30 million.

“I think it’s going to help restore Canadian identity, I think it’s going to help restore First Nations culture and I think - I know - it’s going to have an impact on the ecosystem health,” Gregg Adams, professor at the department of veterinary biomedical sciences told CTV News.

Researchers will use genomic tools to restore plains and wood bison to ensure the species will survive for future generations.