Court battle over Placentia Bay salmon farm could scare off future investors, says Marystown mayor

A Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador ruling over a quarter-billion dollar salmon farm project in Placentia Bay is not sitting well with the mayor of Marystown — though the company overseeing the operation doesn't think it will jeopardize the project.

It's like virgin territory here for people trying to invest.- Sam Synard

Last week, Justice Gillian Butler overturned a decision made by the province's environment department to release Grieg Seafarms from further environmental assessment.

Butler said the minister "lacked the jurisdiction" to make such a decision, and ordered that the project be subject to a full environmental impact statement.

The province's Department of Public Safety says it plans to review the decision.

Blindsided

Marystown Mayor Sam Synard said he was blindsided by the Supreme Court ruling, and thinks the province needs to have better guidelines for how aquaculture proposals are handled.

"There should be a playbook here now in Newfoundland and Labrador. It's like virgin territory here for people trying to invest," he told the St. John's Morning Show on Monday.

"We're not new to aquaculture. Aquaculture has been going on in the Connaigre now for what, over a decade now? And it's not new to us. So why all of sudden is it new to us now?"

Low risk to project, says Grieg

​Grieg, the international company investing in the Placentia Bay salmon farm, said it doesn't believe the court ruling will jeopardize the project.

In a statement, Grieg said it understands the provincial government is contesting last week's verdict and will most likely appeal the ruling.

"We consider the court ruling to be of low risk to our project, and will continue business as usual," the statement reads.

In the meantime, Synard said he respects the court's ruling, but considers the decision to be a definite setback as it means this year's construction season will be over by the time anything is resolved.

He said for a project that could create as many as 2,000 jobs in his region, this setback sends a poor message to other possible investors considering Newfoundland and Labrador for potential aquaculture projects.

"If I'm walking around with, you know, a quarter of a billion dollars cash in my pocket looking to invest somewhere in the world, I might look at a regime that is quicker," he said.

"It doesn't do much to have outside investors come here and spend two, almost three years spinning their wheels. There are other places in the world to spend money."