Help us to help you, salmon farmers tell British Columbia's lawmakers
Sector will invest millions of dollars if it is given the chance to continue
British Columbia’s salmon farming sector will deliver hundreds of millions of dollars of innovation and modern technology investments if it is given business certainty, the province’s politicians have been told.
Members of the BC Salmon Farmers Association’s board visited the province’s Legislative Assembly in Victoria this week to promote the message that salmon farmers can contribute to food security and economic stability despite destabilising federal government policy and the threat of tariffs on goods exported to the United States.
“Now is the time to adopt a unified 'Team BC' approach,” said BCSFA executive director Brian Kingzett. “With the right policy support, salmon farming can play a critical role in reducing BC’s nearly CAD 11 billion (£5.9bn) deficit while generating thousands of well-paying jobs and ensuring a stable, high-quality food supply.”
Countdown to ban
The BCSFA is fighting a June 2024 decision by the federal government to end open net pen salmon farming in BC by mid-2029. Ottawa will only allow land-based or floating closed containment facilities in BC after that.
Salmon farmers say a responsible, collaborative plan - developed under First Nations agreements and with support from all levels of government - could generate CAD 2.5bn in annual economic output by 2030, contribute CAD 930 million to GDP, and create 9,000 jobs with CAD 560m in annual wages, as outlined in a recent economic and financial impact report.
BC left behind
The BCSFA points out that at a time when the federal government is investing heavily in other provinces, including nearly CAD 37 million to fund improvements to infrastructure, innovation and science partnerships in Nova Scotia’s fish and seafood sector, over CAD 13.3 million in funding to support innovation and sustainability in New Brunswick’s fisheries sector, and Pacifican’s CAD 5 million commitment to boost plant-based "seafood" production, BC salmon farmers are again being left behind.
“With global seafood demand rising and the ongoing threat of US tariffs, BC has an opportunity to strengthen its food resiliency,” said Kingzett.
“Science continues to tell us that farm-raised salmon and wild salmon can co-exist, and as BC seafood producers, we are ready to work alongside all levels of government to build a responsible future for the sector. With the return to stable, science-based policies, BC salmon farmers can help secure BC’s food production and drive economic growth while protecting wild salmon.”
