New report on B.C. salmon farming ban sparks debate over policy and activist influence.
A new report from the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI) argues that Canada’s decision to phase out open-net salmon farming in British Columbia is the result of activist influence and political manoeuvring, rather than scientific evidence.
The paper, titled “The Case for Salmon Farming in British Columbia: Economic Stability, Innovation, and First Nations Partnerships,” was authored by Ken S. Coates, director of Indigenous Affairs at MLI, and outlines the economic and social consequences of the ban, which prohibits new salmon farming licences while allowing existing operations to continue until 2029 under stricter conditions.
Disputed role of activism and foreign influence
The report characterises the ban as a policy decision driven by foreign-funded activist groups, arguing that environmental organisations used social media and political lobbying to frame salmon farming as a key threat to wild stocks. They highlight claims that U.S. environmental groups have provided financial backing to Wild First, the First Nations Wild Salmon Alliance, and Pacific Wild, which have campaigned for an end to open-net fish farming in B.C.
The report contends that activist efforts gained traction within the Liberal government, particularly among former Fisheries Ministers Joyce Murray and Jonathan Wilkinson, both of whom represented ridings in British Columbia. Murray, who served as Minister of Fisheries and Oceans from 2021 to 2023, is accused in the report of overriding departmental scientific research, which found that salmon farming posed minimal risk to wild populations. Wilkinson, who held the post from 2018 to 2019, played a key role in framing the policy shift toward land-based aquaculture, despite concerns over its economic and environmental feasibility.
Economic and regulatory implications
The report argues that removing open-net salmon farming could eliminate over 4,500 jobs and disrupt more than 1,400 B.C. businesses that support the sector, causing an estimated $437 million in supply chain losses. It further suggests that the transition to land-based containment systems, the preferred alternative endorsed by the federal government, remains commercially unproven at scale and could impose significant costs on taxpayers.
MLI’s analysis is part of a broader debate over Canada’s aquaculture strategy. While Norway, Scotland, and Chile are expanding their salmon farming sectors using technological advancements and regulatory oversight, Canada is seen by some in the industry as moving in the opposite direction. The report argues that phasing out open-net farming could lead to greater reliance on imports, reducing Canada’s share in the global seafood market.
Calls for policy reversal
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute is calling for an immediate reassessment of the ban, advocating for a policy based on scientific research, economic sustainability, and Indigenous partnerships.
“Moving forward requires reversing the outright ban and returning to evidence-based decision-making that relies on government scientists, Indigenous knowledge, and academic experts,” Coates wrote.
While the federal government has maintained that the ban is necessary to protect wild salmon populations, industry stakeholders and some First Nations groups engaged in salmon farming partnerships argue that the decision could have far-reaching economic and social consequences.
The full report is available [here].
