By Maryam Khan
A proposed $300-million land-based salmon farm along the Ottawa River about 100 kilometres northwest of Ottawa-Gatineau has been redesigned after area residents and environmental groups raised concerns during Quebec’s environmental review process — a flexible approach to the project that the proponent company, Samonix, says reflects the “modern way of doing business.”
The facility, announced in 2024, would become Canada’s first land-based Atlantic salmon farm, built on the shore of the Ottawa River in Litchfield, Que., near Campbell’s Bay in the Pontiac region of the Outaouais. The company says the project would supply fresh salmon to markets in Quebec, Ontario and eventually the United States while creating about 100 jobs in the region.
The project has drawn attention because it would be the first of its kind in the Ottawa River watershed, drawing water from the river to raise the salmon and flushing treated wastewater back into the river. Ottawa Riverkeeper and other environmental organizations raised concerns about the salmon farm’s potential effects on the river ecosystem, including the impact of wastewater from the operation on aquatic species such as the endangered Hickorynut mussel.
The levels of chloride to be discharged into the river from the wastewater as well as the temperature of the effluent were key concerns.
Following those concerns, Quebec’s environmental review process required Samonix to complete additional studies before the project could proceed. The proposal then underwent further public consultation, including a well-attended information session in Campbell’s Bay last month, before resubmission to Quebec’s Ministry of the Environment for another assessment.
The revised proposal includes several changes aimed at reducing environmental impacts. Samonix relocated the wastewater discharge pipes away from mussel habitat and redesigned its system to reuse about 99 per cent of its water, reducing the amount of treated water released into the river.
Ottawa Riverkeeper said the revisions represent meaningful progress.
‘This is how new projects should be handled so that our environment can continue to be properly protected.’
— Ottawa Riverkeeper
“While the outflow still releases chloride at concentrations that could reach acute toxicity thresholds, the new modelling suggests that these releases would mix with river water extremely quickly,” the Riverkeeper said in a recent statement. “While not ideal, the new modelling, combined with the changed location of the outflow pipe, suggests that negative impacts on the local ecosystem will be mitigated.”
Riverkeeper, which is based at the NCC River House on the Ottawa River along the Sir George-Étienne Parkway, credited both the Quebec government and Samonix for responding to public concerns.
“We applaud the government of Quebec for requesting additional studies, setting a strong precedent for future projects of this nature,” the organization said. “Samonix also demonstrated a willingness to listen to feedback, gather new data, and adjust its proposal accordingly. This is how new projects should be handled so that our environment can continue to be properly protected.”
Samonix senior director Rémi Bertrand said the consultation process has helped improve the project.
“Ottawa Riverkeeper became a sounding board for us,” he said, adding that the organization’s scientists identified concerns about water temperature and chloride concentrations which were addressed through the new studies.
According to Bertrand, water temperature concerns were easily resolved through design changes, while chloride concentrations were reduced using specialized diffuser technology that allows treated water to dilute more quickly before entering the river.
“We have to think of it as a modern way of doing business,” he said. “There were some questions and concerns that weren’t easy to answer, but we were committed to doing it right.”
The company considers the ongoing environmental review a major milestone and says construction cannot begin until it receives regulatory approval and secures financing. If approved, Samonix expects to begin construction in late 2027, receive its first shipment of Atlantic salmon eggs from Iceland in 2029 and complete its first harvest in 2031.
“The project has evolved because of questions and comments,” Bertrand said. “I don’t think that’s a weakness. I think that’s evidence that the process is working.”
Riverkeeper said it would continue monitoring the planned project as it progresses.
“While the current proposal responds more directly to the conditions of the river where it is to be located, it is important to continue to ensure that the real-world impacts align with those outlined in the project proposal,” the group stated. “Ottawa Riverkeeper will remain engaged in this project to better understand the steps Samonix is taking to minimize impacts on the aquatic ecosystem.”
Two years ago, Samonix received just under $100,000 in funding from the federal government to conduct preliminary studies for its project. The funding is repayable if the salmon farm becomes successfully established.
When the funding was announced in August 2024, Soraya Martinez Ferrada — then federal tourism minister and now the mayor of Montreal — said the support would help Samonix “conduct the necessary studies to establish a cutting-edge facility dedicated to the responsible cultivation of Atlantic salmon. This type of aquaculture activity makes it possible to farm salmon without endangering our fragile oceans and ecosystems.”
Sophie Chatel, Liberal MP for Pontiac, said at the time that the federal support for a company in the “economically vulnerable” Pontiac region was important. “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.”
Samonix recently signed an agreement with Swedish aquaculture company Smögenlax to collaborate on the Litchfield project.
“This milestone represents an important step in deepening our collaboration,” said Samonix president Mathieu
Farley said in announcing the agreement. “Smögenlax has demonstrated impressive technological advancements in modular and circular (salmon-farming) solutions. By strengthening our strategic alignment, we are positioning ourselves to deploy world-class innovation at scale in North America within an industry undergoing structural transformation and requiring next-generation technological solutions.”
