Nestled in the rolling File Hills of southern Saskatchewan, the Cree and Assiniboine Little Black Bear First Nation of 660 members and 227 residents has made economic development a top priority in recent years. The community is about midway through the development stage of an aquaponics facility that will combine both an aquaculture and a hydroponics operation under one roof. Construction of the facility on reserve land is expected to begin this summer.
The project began with an idea and blossomed into a project early in 2021. Phase one of the project was the development of a business plan which confirmed that the project was feasible and that an aquaponics facility could be economically viable. The business plan determined that the aquaculture component of the facility could produce up to 125 metric tonnes of fresh Steelhead (rainbow trout) annually and that the hydroponics side would produce a wide variety of vegetables and herbs such as lettuce, spinach, peppers, mint, sage, and basil. Tomatoes and certain medicinal plants such as yarrow and sweetgrass will also be grown.
Little Black Bear First Nation currently farms 800 acres of various grains, for which it received its organic certification in 2021. The community is planning to expand its agricultural production annually to include vegetables and medicinal plants and experiment with growing ceremonial tobacco. The aquaponics facility will be a great fit for the organic farm providing seedlings every year for the expanding vegetable, medicinal plant, and tobacco operations.
The community’s Economic Development Projects Manager, Shane Bellegarde, one of the founders of the project, says the new facility is a big step forward for his community. ”The aquaponics project will bring job creation, additional revenue, and food security to our community. Those are the most important benefits. But it will also become a key component of our expanding organic farming operations. And that will be a great boost to our business.”
Read more at northernontariobusiness.com