The province will be its own first tenant for the $30-million BioCommons Research Park under construction in Charlottetown.

The government, which hopes the park will spur growth in the bio-science industries, had been gunning for a private bio-science company.

But CBC News has learned that the provincial government itself will be the first to move in.

The province intends to build a new lab, closing pre-existing agricultural and water-testing labs that are in two other government buildings in the capital. Twenty-five employees will be part of the move.

Crews are already building roads, and installing sewer, water and power to the 26-hectare park.

Innovation Minister Allan Campbell is not commenting on the new lab space yet, but he says private projects are in the pipe.

So far, the province has been unable to entice any of the island's big players to relocate to the BioCommons, but organizers say they're making headway with smaller startups.

The park will include space for so-called incubator sites, lower-cost, shared facilities that can house more than one small business.

Rory Francis, executive director of the P.E.I. BioAlliance, said the park at this point will attract companies that have five to 15 employees.