Cascadia

Cascadia

Mike Williamson

CEO

Website

Number of operations

7 Farm Sites

How many partner farmers do you work with?

5 Nation Partners

In operation

2 years

Production methods

Horizontal longlines in the ocean
Tanks on land

Species

Seaweed

Saccharina Latissima (Sugar Kelp)
Alaria marginata (Winged kelp or West Coast Wakame)
Develarea mollis (Red Ribbon or Pacific Dulse)

Applications/Uses

Food, direct consumption
Agrifeeds

What food products are made from your seaweed?

Formulated/value-added product
Ready to eat foods
Frozen/dried
Additives (thickeners, emulsifers, gellers, preservatives)

Canada | British Columbia | Sidney

Location

Sidney, BC, Canada, V8L 3A4

Regional Challenges

Transport
Lack of experienced seaweed processors
Matching growing volumes with offtake.

Mitigate the Effects of Climate Change

Are you using or transitioning to renewable energy sources?

Yes, currently using.

What renewable energy resources are you switching to?

Hydro.

Are you growing seaweed for livestock feed additives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

Yes.

Are you monitoring or conducting research into carbon uptake by seaweeds?

Yes.

Treats workers with respect and fairness; Advances gender equality and women’s empowerment

Do you have a policy to protect workers from bonded or forced labor, trafficking, or child labor?

Yes.

Do you provide health care or equivalent?

Yes, and offer other benefits.

Please check all that describe your working conditions and workplace expectations

Pay Fair & competitive wages
Conduct Workplace hazard and safety analysis/audit
Workplace Trainings (safety, environmental, or social)
Established Grievance Process

How do you further gender equality and women’s empowerment?

Ensure pay equity
Equal Opportunity hiring and access to advancement or leadership positions

Do you engage in mentorship?

Yes.

Do you mentor people from traditionally underserved, marginalized, or unsupported groups?

First Nations/Indigenous groups

Builds resilience and opportunity in local communities

Do you work with, employ, or buy from small holder farmers?

No.

How do you assess and improve your community engagement and impact?

Community outreach programs
Have an accessible system for community participation in resource management and decision making
Work with indigenous/First Nation communities and uphold indigenous livelihoods
Work with and/or educate regulators and policy makers

Do you share or loan equipment with members of your community?

No.

About

Cascadia Seaweed is growing to be the largest North American provider of ocean cultivated seaweed — a climate-positive crop with a variety of uses requiring only the sea and sunlight to grow. This British Columbia based corporation was founded in 2019 by three maritime professionals who believe in building a profitable and scalable business that enhances the natural environment and provides economic opportunity for rural and coastal communities.

Ocean cultivated seaweed requires no freshwater, fertilizers, pesticides or arable land to grow. It utilizes nutrients from the sea, sequesters more carbon than land plants, mitigates acidification, creates habitat, is renewable and fast growing. It is the definition of regenerative aquaculture and this new and burgeoning sector directly supports the development of Canada’s growing Blue Economy.