Communities and employment

Revitalizing coastal, rural and Aboriginal communities

Aquaculture presents opportunities for employment and economic growth in remote, rural and coastal communities across Canada, including in First Nations and other Aboriginal communities. The industry has been important for local economies along the west and east coasts where employment in the wild fishery, forestry, and mining sectors has declined. In turn, the aquaculture industry is benefitting from a stable and experienced workforce.

The aquaculture industry provides an estimated 14,000 full-time-equivalent jobs to Canadians, 95% of which are in rural or coastal areas:

• Employment on farms, in hatcheries and processing plants, and in administration account for almost 5,800 jobs. This number is higher when seasonal workers are taken into account.
• Another 5,600 Canadians are employed in goods and services industries that supply aquaculture operations with equipment, feed, and transportation.
• The remaining 2,600 jobs are in retail and grocery stores, gas stations, and other community employment areas that benefit from the economic stability that the aquaculture industry provides.

Most of the people working in aquaculture are younger than 40. The majority of aquaculture jobs pay well. Overall labour income in 2010 was estimated at more than $618 million.

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