Canadian government invests in land-based salmon farming project

The Government of Canada has announced a significant investment in Samonix Inc., a land-based salmon aquaculture company in Quebec.

The MRC de Pontiac-based business has received a repayable contribution of CAD $99,998 from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) to support its pre-startup phase. This funding will enable Samonix to conduct crucial preliminary studies as it moves toward establishing a state-of-the-art RAS facility in the province.

The announcement was made on August 19, 2024, by Sophie Chatel, Member of Parliament for Pontiac, on behalf of Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for CED. The investment is part of a broader initiative by CED to support economic development in Quebec’s most economically vulnerable regional county municipalities (RCMs), including the largely rural MRC de Pontiac.

Founded in 2020, Samonix plans to build a 12,000 metric ton annual salmon farm in the Pontiac region of the Outaouais. The company owns land along the Ottawa River in Litchfield, where the proposed RAS facility will be located. Once operational, the facility will supply fresh salmon to major markets in Quebec and Ontario, with the potential for future exports to the U.S.

The financial support from CED will cover the costs of external professional services and to help "mobilize various stakeholders to support the pre-startup of its plant".

The company says it has also established strategic collaborations with Norwegian salmon farming experts Smart Salmon, and Sweden's Smøgenlax Aquaculture, specialists in wastewater management, treatment and reclamation.

The Government of Canada says it recognizes the importance of supporting businesses like Samonix that contribute to regional economic growth and innovation. "By assisting a business such as Samonix in its pre-startup phase, we are helping ensure more inclusive economic growth to the benefit of the Pontiac community," said Chatel.

Martinez Ferrada emphasized the broader impact of the investment, noting that it aligns with the government’s mission to foster economic development in the country’s most vulnerable regions. "Thanks to CED’s support, Samonix will be able to conduct the necessary studies to establish a cutting-edge facility dedicated to the responsible cultivation of Atlantic salmon," she said.

Meanwhile, Mathieu Farley, Founding President of Samonix Inc., expressed his gratitude for the support, stating, "With this assistance, the business is launching an ambitious initiative to produce higher-quality salmon with fewer environmental impacts. We thank CED for supporting Samonix in developing an innovation hub for salmon farming in the Outaouais region."

This funding is part of CED’s Quebec Economic Development Program, which aims to help communities seize economic opportunities and drive diversification. Notably, if Samonix's project to launch the plant does not succeed, the contribution from CED could become non-repayable under the flexible conditions provided to economically vulnerable municipalities like MRC de Pontiac.