British Columbia’s food banks can expect more salmon in the days and weeks ahead.
The BC Salmon Farmers Association has announced the creation of a salmon donation initiative with Food Banks Canada and Food Banks BC to feed British Columbia families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative will see local companies Cermaq Canada, Grieg Seafood BC, Mowi Canada West, Creative Salmon and Golden Eagle Aquaculture donate around 60,000 lbs of salmon to food banks across the province.
“This is a time for all industries to step up and support those most affected by COVID-19, and that’s exactly what B.C.’s salmon farmers are doing,” John Paul Fraser, executive director of the BCSFA said in a press release. “We’re delighted to partner with B.C.-based businesses to can, process and transport fresh B.C. farm-raised salmon, providing families with healthy protein produced here in the province.”
Food banks in British Columbia help roughly 100,000 individuals each month, and the demand is expected to last beyond the pandemic.
“In some instances, numbers have already doubled and we’re seeing line ups grow longer, yet food donations are down. Some people who were donors are now food bank recipients. It’s a very stressful situation for our food banks and we anticipate we will feel the repercussions of this for one or two years into the future,” Laura Lansink, executive director of Food Banks BC, said in the release.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced food banks to shift their distribution towards pre-packaged, shelf-stable foods that require less volunteer or client handling of products.
As a result, the salmon farmers’ donation will include cans of Pacific and Atlantic salmon.
“I have been with Food Banks BC for almost a decade and I have never received a donation like this before,” Lansink added. “Protein donations truly are hard to come by, so we are so grateful to BC salmon farmers for stepping up, particularly at this time of COVID-19 when food, and especially protein, is in such short supply. This donation will make a tremendous impact on the individuals, families and children who simply can’t always afford to put food on their tables.”
In total, 86,000 cans of Atlantic salmon will be donated. The salmon will be processed and canned by St. Jean’s Cannery and Smokehouse in Nanaimo and then distributed throughout the province.
Canned Pacific salmon is being donated by Golden Eagle Aquaculture and will be distributed to food banks in the Tofino and Ucluelet areas.
“As food producers, we feel that the right thing to do is to ensure that families can access nutritious sources of protein. We are all in this together, and we hope to help our community out by contributing the Coho salmon we raise,” said Terry Brooks, president of Golden Eagle Aquaculture.
Additionally, Mowi will be distributing 1,000 one-pound portions of Atlantic salmon to food banks in Campbell River and Port Hardy each week throughout the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Aquatrans Distributors Inc. has agreed to cover most of the transportation costs associated with transporting the salmon to St. Jean’s for canning and to five food bank hubs for distribution.
“Aquatrans is grateful to be working with incredible companies that can come together and do good in a time when there is not a lot of good news. We feel the food bank is an invaluable resource that we are proud to support,” said Ryan Brush, general manager of Aquatrans Distributors, in a press release.
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