The Government of Québec backs project that will drive agricultural innovation and bolster Quebec's food sovereignty
LONGUEUIL, QC, Nov. 29, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada's leading vertical farming company, GoodLeaf Farms, is on track to open a climate-controlled indoor farm in the Montreal suburb of Longueuil by the middle of 2023.
The new farm, which has been supported by a $7-million loan from the Government of Québec and several smaller grants from various economic development agencies including Développement économique de l'agglomération de Longueuil (DEL), is being built on boul. Clairevue site, in close proximity to Highway 20 and the St. Hubert-Longueuil Airport. The 100,000-square-foot vertical farm will produce 1.9 million pounds of microgreens and baby greens for grocery stores and the hospitality sector across Quebec, with capacity to also service Atlantic Canada.
The project is expected to create more than 70 new jobs — many of them cutting-edge technology and skilled positions — with additional economic spinoffs in Longueuil as GoodLeaf will use local vendors for many of the components that are being used in the build and operation of the farm.
With Quebec's limited growing season, most open-field farms can harvest one crop a year, where GoodLeaf's climate-controlled indoor farms are able to grow and harvest more than 40 crops of a microgreen each year, and more than 20 crops of a baby green — a dramatic increase in productivity.
The farm also provides a local food source for a product that is typically imported — as much as 90 per cent of the leafy greens on store shelves in Quebec are trucked in from the southwestern United States. Growing these greens locally and reducing the number of trucks on the road reduces carbon emissions significantly.
GoodLeaf's system is also free of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, has no risk of fertilizer run off into local water sources, and uses 95 per cent less water than the same crops in an open-field farm. The cutting-edge technology used in vertical farming results in a sustainable solution for farmers, retailers, the food service sector and consumers.
GoodLeaf's farms supports a reliable and consistent source of microgreens and baby greens in Canada year-round, no matter the season, climate, or weather. The plants are grown in a complex hydroponics system to feed nutrient-rich water to the plants, and specialized LED lights that are engineered to mimic the spring sun — ideal conditions for plants to maximize photosynthesis — feeding growth, nutrition and flavour.
GoodLeaf Farms grows microgreens and baby greens including pea shoots, micro radish, spinach, arugula, and spring mix.
"GoodLeaf is building a national network of vertical farms, ensuring Canadians from coast to coast have access to fresh, sustainably and locally grown leafy greens year round. Our new farm in Longueuil is perfectly located to support all consumers across Quebec via retailers and food service operators. We are excited to work with the visionary partners in Quebec who have astutely created a Provincial strategy recognizing the need for innovative new approaches to agriculture. In the near future, Quebec and Canada will gain greater control of our food security and dramatically reduce the dependency on imported produce."
— Barry Murchie, CEO, GoodLeaf Farms
"Thanks to its strategic geographical location, its supply of green energy and a large pool of 'locavores,' Greater Montréal is a very fertile ground for companies such as GoodLeaf. Vertical farming technology brings to our plates fresh and sustainable food that is grown, manufactured and produced within our region, which is perfectly aligned with a very popular tendency! It also helps reduce carbon emissions and other pollutants, another important objective for Montréal International as we seek to develop a green, sustainable economy."
— Alexandre Lagarde, Vice President, Foreign Investments, Montréal International
"The arrival of GoodLeaf is a strong symbol of the attractiveness of our territory and the strength of our agri-food sector. While our location offers direct access to the Quebec, Atlantic Canada and American markets, GoodLeaf will also be able to benefit from synergies with the 200 or so agri-food companies in our territory."
— Julie Ethier, Executive Director of DEL
Follow GoodLeaf Farms on Instagram @goodleaffarms and Like it on Facebook at /GoodLeafFarms.
With a passion for delicious, nutrient-rich greens, GoodLeaf was founded in Halifax (Nova Scotia) in 2011. Using innovative technology and leveraging multi-level vertical farming, GoodLeaf has created a controlled and efficient indoor farming system that can grow fresh produce anywhere in the world, 365-days of the year. The system combines innovations in LED lighting with leading edge hydroponic techniques to produce sustainable, safe, pesticide-free, nutrient-dense leafy greens. GoodLeaf has ongoing collaboration programs with multiple universities in Canada, USA and Europe, and other preeminent industry partners.
Learn more at goodleaffarms.com.
SOURCE GoodLeaf Farms
Danielle Wood, [email protected], 905-483-2147
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