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Press release
ÉAU launches the first large-scale aquaponics laboratory in Quebec
Montreal, March 15 2022
The Quebec-based company ÉAU (Urban Food Ecosystems) is proud to announce the official opening of the first large-scale aquaponics laboratory in Quebec. Located in the heart of Montreal's urban area, LabÉAU is a new hub for research and technological development, marking a turning point in the emergence of the aquaponics industry. Aquaponics is a food production technique considered one of the solutions for a transition to low-environmental-impact agriculture. It is a symbiosis between raising aquatic organisms (aquaculture) and growing plants (hydroponics). Based on the principles of the circular economy, this technique attempts to closely mimic what occurs in nature, where fish waste becomes resources for plants. Aquaponic farms make it possible to produce a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and fish year-round, regardless of weather conditions.
Three main strategic axes
The LabÉAU occupies a 100 m² area housing a decoupled aquaponics system. It comprises a recirculating aquaculture system for yellow perch and walleye, a mineralization system with two treatment ecosystems, and a vertical horticultural production system for greens, herbs, and fruiting plants. Under the direction of Benjamin Laramée, a leading expert in aquaponics in Quebec, the LabÉAU will conduct research and development activities in collaboration with various institutes and research centers. Aquaponics currently relies on proven technologies, and the LabÉAU will allow for their further optimization. This new research hub has three main strategic focuses: reducing the environmental footprint, diversifying products in both aquaculture and horticulture, and optimizing processes to reduce operating costs and limit inputs.
The Quebec government is supporting the project with $221,458 in financial assistance through the Innovation Program, administered by Investissement Québec. “Food self-sufficiency and the development of a green economy are at the heart of our economic vision. By focusing on a form of agriculture with a low environmental impact, the LabÉAU laboratory aligns perfectly with this vision. With the financial support announced today, we hope to help LabÉAU optimize its processes and market local products,” said Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy and Innovation and Minister responsible for Regional Economic Development. A true technological showcase, this laboratory will highlight all the innovation behind aquaponic systems to raise awareness of how they work.
“LabÉAU will become a research hub for aquaponics in Quebec, a food production technology that is developing all over the world and for which there has been growing interest in Quebec for several years,” says Benjamin Laramée, co-founder and scientific director of ÉAU.
About ÉAU
Cofondée par Benjamin Laramée et Julien Le Net, ÉAU est une entreprise québécoise spécialisée en aquaponie dont la mission est de contribuer à l’autonomie alimentaire et de participer à la transition vers une agriculture à faible impact environnemental. ÉAU accompagne des individus et organisations dans le développement de fermes aquaponiques commerciales qui produisent des aliments frais, sains et locaux toute l’année, quelles que soient les conditions climatiques. L’équipe travaille présentement sur plusieurs projets de fermes aquaponiques commerciales au Québec et à l’international, dont les premières constructions sont prévues au cours de l’année 2022.
To learn more : https://www.eau-agriculture.com/
Information :
For more information or to request an interview with the co-founders, please contact:
Laurie Prud’Homme
C4 Communications
(514) 713-9059
laurie@c4com.ca
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