Mainstream Canada donates $50,000 to Ucluelet Aquarium project

A $50,000 donation from Mainstream Canada will help get construction started next month on a new aquarium in Ucluelet.

On Tuesday night, Dec. 7, representatives from Mainstream Canada announced to the village's mayor and council that the company is donating $50,000 to help build a new aquarium on the waterfront.

"We have been looking for a West Coast community project to fund for quite some time, and have money set aside to do it," said Fernando Villarroel, Mainstream Canada's managing director. "We believe this project is a perfect match for us."

Villarroel said it is critical for Mainstream Canada to provide social and economic benefits to the communities where the company operates.

"We are excited to be able to help build this aquarium. It will benefit West Coast residents and their families for years to come," he said. "We are proud to be able to contribute to this project, which will educate and support many future generations of West Coasters, including our employees and their families, It will be a tourist attraction and economic driver for West Coast communities."

The Ucluelet Aquarium Society is enthusiastic about the partnership and is planning a display in the new building showcasing and explaining the marine life in and around salmon farm sites. 

"I believe Mainstream and the Ucluelet Aquarium Society share a deep concern for our marine environment. We work together towards a future in which a diverse and healthy ocean sustains our communities," said Bill Morrison, the society's president. "The aquarium has a history of promoting discussion about economic activity in our waters. For example, in the past we have highlighted shellfish aquaculture, deep sea trawling and plastics in our oceans.

"We see it as an important part of our mission to present our visitors with balanced information in order that they may make their own decisions. We look forward to working with Mainstream to develop displays which will shed light on some of the issues which face food production and salmon aquaculture in our waters. "

Mainstream Canada's donation will allow the society to start planning its construction schedule, which will likely start early in 2011, Morrison said.

The donation means the society has more than 90 per cent of its fundraising goal, and will now be able to work at securing grants from the provincial and federal governments.

 The Village of Ucluelet has already contributed more than $100,000 towards the project.

For some time, the society has been looking to expand its popular waterfront "mini-aquarium," housed in a tiny building perched above the shoreline. The building is very small, and does not have phone service or heat. The new building, planned right by the dock, will be much larger and will be fully-serviced. It will include all current aquarium displays plus some new ones, and will also include a classroom and laboratory.

The new aquarium will be built right next to the Ucluelet Harbour and will cost approximately $1.9 million. The project will take about one year to be completed.

Mainstream Canada operates 14 salmon farms on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, north of Tofino. The company also owns and operates a processing plant in Tofino. Roughly one-third of the company's employees - 75 people - live in the Ucluelet-Tofino-Ahousaht region.

For more information contact:
Grant Warkentin
Communications Officer
250-286-0022 ext. 247
grant.warkentin@mainstreamcanada.com