CATHY FOX
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE
CAMPBELL’S BAY – About 40 people attended a meeting at the Campbell’s Bay RA Hall, February 13, where Samonix presented its plans to create a land-based aquaculture business in the Pontiac dedicated to eco-responsible Atlantic Salmon farming.
Rémi Bertrand, senior director of development, introduced the members of Samonix. Colleen Larrivière, mayor of Litchfield, expressed support for the project, which promises to create over 100 full-time jobs, with more than half earning $65 thousand annually, as well as temporary work for 500 employees during the two-year construction phase.
Inspired by a desire to increase local, eco-responsible salmon availability, President Mathieu Farley hopes to provide up to 12 thousand tons of salmon per year to a regional market of 80 million people. He intends to fund the $300 million project without federal or provincial investments, although he has obtained about $200,000 in start-up financial support from various government agencies. The MRC Pontiac has committed $100,000, to be repaid if the business is successful, and only released once required permits are received.
Farley has partnered with two large corporations – Smogenlax from Sweden and Smart Salmon Norway – who have similar projects on the go in France and Poland (Proximal). Samonix is currently seeking expertise from aquaculture engineering companies like Sorensen in New Brunswick and Aquamoaf in Israel for recirculating aquaculture systems in order to provide the best outcome for the salmon and the least negative impact on the environment.
Technical Director Fred Brisco showed what the facility will look like and how it will operate. They’ve discovered a method to satisfy Environment Ministry standards for salt-based chloride releases into local water bodies; there is continued dialogue with Ottawa Riverkeeper and the Conseil Régional de l’Environnement et du Développement Durable de l’Outaouais (CREDDO).
The bulk of attendees’ questions related to the effluent’s effects on the river, how chloride releases will be monitored, especially during the winter, and if testing will be done further down river. Others expressed fears related to spills and the quality of the salmon with a potential nuclear waste dump upstream and existing mercury levels in the river. Many were skeptical about the likelihood of securing funding for the project without government involvement, given the business will require hundreds of millions of dollars annually until their anticipated full operation at the end of 2029.
Photo – Samonix Senior Director of Development Rémi Bertrand (standing) introduces the company while President Mathieu Farley (left) and Senior Technical Director Fred Brisco (centre) look on. (CW)