The project aims to produce Atlantic salmon without chemicals or antibiotics, intended first for the local and regional market, then eventually for national and international markets. It is in response to Quebec’s food autonomy objectives, while aspiring to contribute to local and regional economic vitality.

Land-based aquaculture is a method of breeding and producing fish in large land-based tanks. The AquaBoreal project is based on a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS).

The Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) is a proven technology, reducing the risk of diseases and parasites by controlling the environmental conditions of fish farming, such as water quality and temperature, limiting its impact on the surrounding aquatic ecosystems.

AquaBoreal is a Quebec company having a business partnership with the Altamar Group for the development of its project in Baie-Trinité. The Altamar Group brings together three major production and processing companies in Chile, Argentina and Peru, distributing aquaculture products to the main Canadian and American markets. World leader in the RAS system, the Altamar Group deploys proven and cutting-edge methods and technologies, at the forefront of sustainable development and food autonomy.

By choosing the municipality of Baie-Trinité, bordered by the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, AquaBoreal places itself in the heart of maritime Quebec, where expertise in fishing and seafood processing is already located. This location ensures the optimal quality of AquaBoreal salmon, raised in fresh and pure sea water, drawn deep directly from the Labrador Current.

The project will create numerous jobs, while helping to diversify the North Shore economy, stimulating trade and generating additional income for local communities.

More generally, the project offers concrete solutions to climate change issues, such as limiting GHG emissions through the use of renewable energy and creating synergies with existing distribution networks.

In total, 80% of seafood products in Quebec are exported outside the province and ironically, almost 85% of Quebec consumption comes from foreign markets. The AquaBoreal project aims to serve local, regional and national markets in particular, thus meeting the food autonomy objectives set by the Quebec government in its biofood policy.

The first step is to obtain all the necessary government authorizations to start the project, which AquaBoreal is currently working on by rigorously following all the necessary steps for this purpose.

Once the authorizations have been obtained, AquaBoreal will prepare the start of a first phase of production of 10,000 tonnes of salmon per year. Ultimately, subsequent development phases could increase production to 100,000 tonnes annually.

The RAS process allows aquaculture without antibiotics or chemicals and rigorous traceability, that is to say, the breeding and production of salmon meeting strict health standards, while limiting the negative effects on the marine ecosystem. .

Production will be based on renewable energies, while synergies with local and national distribution networks will limit the carbon footprint linked to the transport of the product.

Finally, AquaBoreal is committed to animal welfare, ensuring responsible breeding, that is to say the good health, safety and good treatment of salmon.

Since the start of the project design, the AquaBoreal team has been in contact with the authorities of the Municipality of Baie-Trinité, as well as with regional development authorities, such as Innovation et Développement Manicouagan (ID Manic).

Likewise, during the spring of 2024, AquaBoreal will undertake a series of information sessions and consultations on the North Shore with economic, socio-community and environmental groups as well as with the business community and the Bay community. -Trinity more specifically.

Aquaboreal also wishes to establish relationships with the Innu communities of Pessamit and Uashat Mak Mani-utenam whose ancestral territories border the municipality of Baie-Trinité.

This website is currently the best way to keep up to date with the progress of the project. The AquaBoreal team will also periodically meet with local and regional communities to present and discuss the progress of the project. Finally, it is possible to communicate with the AquaBoreal team at [email protected].