Question Period Note: Fisheries and Aquaculture Clean Technology Adoption Program (FACTAP)

• Economic development and environmental sustainability must go hand-in-hand to enable the long-term health and prosperity of Canada and its citizens.
• To that end, our government is making strategic investments to promote the adoption of clean technologies, processes, and practices by Canada’s industries, including fisheries and aquaculture producers.
• To date, working with our provincial and industry partners, we have invested close to $27 million to help fisheries and aquaculture producers across Canada adopt clean technologies and processes - making them more environmentally sustainable and economically competitive.

• Federal Budget 2017 committed $200 million over four years to Natural Resources Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to support clean technology research, development and demonstration, and the adoption of clean technology in Canada’s natural resource sectors.
• On December 18, 2017, the Government of Canada announced the Fisheries and Aquaculture Clean Technology Adoption Program (FACTAP), a grants and contribution program that provides up to $20 million over four years to help Canada’s fisheries and aquaculture industries incorporate clean technologies into their operations.
• The program offers funding to Canadian fisheries and aquaculture sectors to assist industry-driven adoption of market-ready clean technologies, processes, and/or sustainable practices into the day-to-day operations of aquaculture facilities and wild capture harvesting. This includes changes or modifications (e.g. adoption) of technologies, processes, and/or sustainable practices in order to render them operational for use in the Canadian context.
• To date, the program and its provincial and private sector partners have allocated 26.8 million towards a total of 116 projects, supporting the adoption of clean technologies and processes to improve the efficiency and environmental performance of aquaculture, wild capture fisheries, and fish processing across Canada.
• Project breakdown by region: Pacific – 58; Atlantic – 29; and, Central – 29. Proponents/involvement include aquaculture operators (55); commercial fishers (53); and, fish processors (8).
• Projects that are currently underway include the adoption of: energy efficient bioreactors and heat pumps; fishing vessel engine replacements; integration of solar power; exposed Styrofoam (plastic) replacement; Canada’s first-ever diesel electric fishing vessel; waste management upgrades; and, pilot-testing of a semi-enclosed salmon production system in British Columbia. Over a dozen projects are supporting improvements to existing land-based aquaculture closed containment systems.
• FACTAP is now out of funds and targeted to sunset at the end of March 2021.

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