The village of Baie-Trinité, on the North Coast, and its 400 inhabitants could host the largest aquaculture company in Quebec: a project of more than $1 billion that is progressing quietly.Published on February 2
The AquaBoréal salmon factory has just received support from Quebec City as part of the Nordic Action Plan 2023-2028: half a million dollars for a project that would exceed one billion dollars, as a whole.
The promoters of AquaBoréal chose Baie-Trinité, a village of just over 400 inhabitants located between Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles, for the purity of its water. They intend to install their basins on the site of the municipality’s former sawmill. The first phase, valued at around $400 million, aims to produce 10,000 tons of salmon per year.
Both the scale and the nature of the project have something to make skeptics frown. AquaBoréal says it is supported by a company that does aquaculture in South America and is progressing in the complex process of authorizations. The BAPE stage was reached last fall. The project did not require public consultations.
AquaBoréal intends to install its pools on the site of the former Baie-Trinité sawmill, which will be demolished to make way for salmon.
Eventually, the company plans to provide 80 jobs – which will not be without housing challenges in an area where properties for sale are scarce.
« We had calls. People are ready to make real estate investments in Baie-Trinité, « says Léopold Landry, developer of AquaBoréal, in an interview.
AquaBoréal’s developers are as confident in their ability to carry out their project to completion as they are discreet about the identity of their investors. « For AquaBoréal, what distinguishes it from other past projects that could not see the light of day is the quality of the current team, which is composed of experts in aquaculture and marketing, » says the company’s spokesman, Philippe St-Jean.
Another large-scale commercial aquaculture project is progressing, this time in Outaouais. Samonix wants to supply 10,000 tons of salmonids to its full production. The company also takes one step at a time: it is awaiting its evaluation of the BAPE. The company wants to establish itself on the mainland near a former pulp and paper factory in Litchfield. Projected costs: $415 million.
A new way of doing things
These two fish farming projects are currently being the subject of an environmental analysis under the Environmental Impact Assessment and Review Procedure. Their scale is unprecedented in aquaculture in Quebec.
« These are projects with major environmental impacts, just like a large farm, » says Marie-Michèle Tessier, of the Directorate of Environmental Assessment of Land Projects at the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks.
Their development is therefore under the magnifying glass of the ministry, as would be a mining or waste landfill project. The planned quantity of fish has passed them through this evaluation procedure, which is coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment and carried out in collaboration with all the ministries and organizations involved in the projects analyzed, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ). The analysis takes into account, in particular, the raison d’être of the project, its issues, its impacts on the environment, but their economic viability is the sole responsibility of the instigators, the ministry is told.
Ultimately, it is a government decree that will authorize the project, set conditions for completion or refuse it.
The development of a sector
In Haute-Mauricie, it is rather rainbow trout that we want to produce.
Nayad trout farming is more modest than the salmon factories under study – and therefore does not have to go through the same evaluation process. But if we had to produce these 2000 tons of fish in La Tuque, we would double the current total annual production of the province in this place alone.
Seeing this, Nayad’s CEO, Geneviève Marchand, talks about the possible development of a new commercial aquaculture sector in Quebec, driven by the need for food autonomy.
« So much the better if there are other aquaculture projects, » she says about the other two major projects that are making their way, in parallel.
« Food sovereignty was part of Mark Carney’s speech in Davos, » continues Geneviève Marchand. Maybe we’ll have a more attentive ear from governments. And that would be important, because we import an astronomical amount of fish when we have everything we need here to raise fish. «
This project is estimated at about 60 million for the first stage of 2000 tonnes; 200 million for its total. The company is waiting for authorization certificates from the Ministry of the Environment in order to move forward. This will also accelerate funding to « Quebec and Canadian institutional investors ».
Because if aquaculture of this magnitude is a major technological challenge – this new wave of aquaculture is based on the technologies of closed-circuit water recirculation systems – the financial challenge may be titanic.
« The projects that will be funded have technologies accepted and recognized by specialized investment funds, » says Mathieu Farley, president of Samonix, the Outaouais project.
The company has a Norwegian partner specializing in salmon farming and a Swedish, an expert in water treatment systems – who are not, however, the main investors « at this stage ». Entrepreneur Mathieu Farley, an accountant by training, says he himself financed Samonix’s activities, with other investors.
« We have agreements with partners so that they can invest significantly after environmental authorizations, » he says. Everything depends on this step. «
When are the salmon from Quebec?
Samonix aims for full operation by the end of 2029. AquaBoréal has calculated that its first fish will leave the factory two years after it is put into operation. At this stage, the company aims to launch production early next year.
The projects are not unrealistic, but risky, says Grant Vandenberg, professor at the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at Université Laval and a specialist in aquaculture.
« It’s a matter of costs, » he recalls. First that of fish, on the market. “In Chile, production costs are very low. According to him, it will be difficult to deliver Quebec fish at a comparable price.
The advantage in Quebec, continues Grant Vandenberg, is the low price of electricity, but the other costs are very important (even food for these fish) and production will have to be done in accordance with « the strictest standards in the world, or almost ». Establishing a factory in a region far from large centers involves other challenges, adds this specialist.
Do you think we will see these Quebec aquaculture fish by 2030?
« If the promoters are serious, if they know what they are doing, I would say yes. «
source : la presse
