Ottawa, ON - The Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) today released its Submission for the 2023 Pre-Budget Consultations. This is tabled just after the devastation wreaked by Storm Fiona and its aftermath, which highlights the importance of several vital requests to aid seafood farmers’ recovery. 

Early estimates are that shellfish farmers in PEI have at minimum $50M in damages. Almost all these marine farmers are small and medium-sized businesses who cannot access private insurance for crop loss and disasters, while land farmers have access to government cost-sharing programs to support them.  

“Food security and inflation are the top concerns of Canadians, and we have a massive opportunity to grow healthy, sustainable seafood in Canada through aquaculture. However, our sector growth has flatlined for two decades, in large part because of a lack of will at the federal level. An event like Fiona sets us back, but also brings to attention the lack of consistent, national programs for seafood farmers to succeed,” says Timothy Kennedy, President & CEO. 

“We appreciate the Prime Minister’s commitment of $300M for Fiona recovery, but the federal government must build the proper system of long-term supports to grow the seafood farming sector in Canada.”  

The CAIA Budget 2023 requests show the path forward. This includes:

1. That DFO focus on science and regulation and build its reputation as a world-class regulator, while responsibility for sector development and sustainable growth be formally moved to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada;

2. That a pilot program for shellfish farmers for Business Risk Management (BRM) (such as crop and disaster insurance programs) must be created, as those offered to land farmers; and

3. That the federal program that oversees shellfish must be properly funded after 20 years of funding flatline. 

Canada’s seafood farming sector is poised to advance Canada’s objectives of domestic and sustainable food supply and security; reduce carbon emissions; grow employment and economic opportunity in rural, coastal and Indigenous communities; and capitalize on the opportunity to expand our blue economy. With the right policy and market signals, Canada’s sustainable aquaculture sector is ready to be a major contributor to Canada’s present and future health and wellbeing. 

About Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance

Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) is the national association that speaks for Canada’s seafood farmers, representing their interests in Ottawa and internationally to regulators, policy makers and political leaders. CAIA members generate over $5 billion in economic activity, $2 billion in GDP, and employ over 20,000 Canadians delivering a healthy, growing and sustainable seafood farming sector in Canada. For more information, please visit www.aquaculture.ca.

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Sheri Beaulieu

Manager of Marketing and Communications

Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance

Tel: 613-853-0612

Email: sheri.beaulieu@aquaculture.ca

OTTAWA, ON – During its annual meeting held September 28-29, 2022, the members of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) elected new officers, two new Executive Committee members and two new Board members.

Ian Roberts, Director of Communications (Scotland, Ireland, Canada) at Mowi, will serve as the new Chair of the CAIA Board of Directors, succeeding Jennifer Woodland of Nuu-chah-nulth Seafood Limited Partnership who stepped down after almost three years and now serves as Past Chair. 

“The seafood farming community in Canada is focused and resilient. We are the seafood growth pathway for Canada with many coastal communities looking to grow sustainable foods and economic opportunities. With positive support from our communities and governments, Canada can realize this great sustainable, healthy and secure food opportunity for Canada,” says Roberts.

Outgoing Chair Jennifer Woodland says, “This sector has incredible potential for Canada. Low-carbon, innovative sustainable and secure food production, great jobs in coastal communities in all ten provinces and one territory, Indigenous partnership, economic opportunity and leadership. With deepened collaboration and united together we will continue our work to realize this sector’s great future in Canada.”

Additionally, Amédée Savoie, La Maison BeauSoleil and Cyrus Singh, k'awat'si Development Corporation were newly elected to the Executive Committee while four others were re-elected including: Joel Richardson, Cooke Aquaculture Inc. (Vice-Chair), Cyr Couturier, Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland (Treasurer), Mia Parker, Mowi Canada West (Secretary) and Linda Sams, Cermaq Canada.

CAIA President & CEO, Timothy Kennedy says, “We’re very pleased to welcome these new and returning members to our national Board of Directors and leadership. Together, they represent producers, suppliers and regional associations from across Canada – united in their passion for the sustainable growth of seafood farming.”

“In particular, I’d like to recognize Larry Johnson, President of Nuu-chah-nulth Seafood Limited Partnership and Co-Chair of the CAIA Indigenous Partners Network, and also Cyrus Singh, CEO of the K’awat’si Development Corporation. We’re very pleased to have two leaders from Indigenous-owned seafood businesses elected to the Board, and that they will lend their voices and talents to developing the national aquaculture discussion,” noted Kennedy.

  Four new CAIA Board members were also elected:

·         Larry Johnson, Nuu-chah-nulth Seafood Limited Partnership (BC)

·         Cyrus Singh, k'awat'si Development Corporation (BC)

·         Jeff MacPherson, Atlantic Aqua Farms Ltd. (PEI)

·         Jennifer Wiper, Aquaculture Association of Canada (NB)

15 Board Members were also re-elected

·         Jamie Baker, Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association (NL)

·         Bill Collins, Cascadia Seaweed (BC)

·         Todd Cook, Elanco Canada Limited (BC)

·         Brad Hicks, Taplow Feeds (BC)

·         Amy Jonsson, Grieg Seafood BC Ltd. (BC)

·         Rich Moccia, Aquaculture Centre, University of Guelph (ON)

·         Stephanie Quah, Cargill Canada (BC)

·         John Rose, Icy Waters Ltd. (ON/YK)

·         Tim Rundle, Creative Salmon Co. Ltd. (BC)

·         Ruth Salmon, BC Salmon Farmers Association (BC)

·         TBD, Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia (NS)

·         Trevor Stanley, Skretting Canada Inc. (BC)

·         RJ Taylor, Ontario Aquaculture Association (ON)

·         Peter Warris, PEI Aquaculture Alliance (PEI)

·         Brian Yip, Fanny Bay Oysters (BC)

“I’d like to specially thank our outgoing Chair, Jennifer Woodland and outgoing Treasurer, John Rose of Icy Waters Ltd, for their service to CAIA over the past number of years. These talented experts in Canada’s aquaculture landscape have been instrumental in shaping the future of this organization,” said Kennedy.

For a complete list of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, visit: https://www.aquaculture.ca/board-of-directors-index.

About Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance

Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) is the national association that speaks for Canada’s seafood farmers, representing their interests in Ottawa and internationally to regulators, policy makers and political leaders. CAIA members generate over $5 billion in economic activity, 2 billion in GDP, and employ over 20,000 Canadians delivering a healthy, growing and sustainable seafood farming sector in Canada. For more information, please visit www.aquaculture.ca.

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Sheri Beaulieu

Manager of Marketing and Communications

Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance

Tel: 613-853-0612

Email: sheri.beaulieu@aquaculture.ca