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Enriching Communities

Sustaining Coastal, Rural and Aboriginal Communities

Aquaculture production has increased four-fold in the past 20 years

Aquaculture is practiced in every province and in the Yukon Territory.
Output increased from 40,000 to 170,000 tonnes
Farm-gate value increased from $195 million to over $900 million
Aquaculture generated over $1 billion in GDP in 2007, with $320 million in direct GDP and $685 million in spin-off impact.
The gross value of output generated in 2007 was $2.1 billion.

Aquaculture is an important part of coastal, rural and Aboriginal economies. Communities have seen how aquaculture can revitalize their economies, especially in light of declines in other natural resource sectors. In turn, the industry has benefitted from a stable and experienced workforce.

The aquaculture industry provides an estimated 14,500 full-time jobs, with higher overall employment when seasonal workers are added in.

Overall labour income in 2007 was estimated at more than $500 million.

Employment on farms, in hatcheries, processing plants and administration counts for almost 5,000 jobs.

Another 6,400 people are employed in supplying the industry with goods and services, such as feed suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and transportation.

An additional 3,200 jobs are created in community support – at retail and grocery stores, gas stations, and other places of employment that benefit from aquaculture.

Across all provinces, the dollar value of the economic activity generated by aquaculture – the money spent on groceries, gas, hair cuts, clothing purchases, etc. – is about double the value of the actual aquaculture production of that province. This is testimony to the power of aquaculture to create permanent, good paying jobs that allow people to stay in the communities they love.

Economic and Employment Contributions to Canada

The total economic activity generated from aquaculture in Canada in 2007 was $2.1 billion dollars. Aquaculture creates thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in income, providing substantial socio-economic contribution to many coastal and rural communities where aquaculture takes place.

Economic Indicator	NL	NS	PEI	NB	QC	ON	BC	Canada
GDP ($000s)
Direct	20,000	22,800	42,800	69,100	8,200	7,480	151,100	321,480
Indirect	8,400	10,600	6,400	47,200	2,500	4,080	167,900	450,400
Induced	6,200	8,500	10,400	30,800	3,700	4,250	106,300	233,300
Total	34,600	41,900	59,600	147,100	14,400	15,810	425,300	1,005,180
Employment (FTE)
Direct	215	380	790	1,100	80	110	2,220	4,895
Indirect	120	170	125	790	35	55	2,330	6,400
Induced	70	120	250	530	45	51	1,410	3,200
Total	405	670	1,165	2,420	160	216	5,960	14,495
Income ($000s)
Direct	6,200	12,200	22,000	32,700	2,600	2,720	78,400	156,820
Indirect	4,900	6,400	2,900	28,300	1,200	2,040	95,100	241,200
Induced	2,200	4,800	6,400	16,800	1,230	1,530	50,400	107,900
Total	13,300	23,400	31,300	77,800	5,030	6,290	223,900	505,920

Source: DFO

Production by Province

The quantity and value of national output is divided about equally between the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, though British Columbia leads all other provinces, accounting for about 50% of total production value followed by New Brunswick (21%) and Newfoundland (12%).

Output by Province, 2009 — $800 million

Learn more about how aquaculture is revitalizing communities across Canada

Economic and Socio-Economic Impact of Aquaculture in Canada