A letter from Environment Minister Wade Istchenko could mean the start of a growing aquaponics industry in the North.

North Star Agriculture head Sonny Gray said Thursday the letter, dated Aug. 11, confirms his project, that would ultimately see a 100,000-square-foot NutraPonics facility in the territory, can move forward as North Star continues its work in finding partners and funding opportunities.

“For us, that was huge,” Gray said of receiving the letter.

There had been some questions about whether the current moratorium on stocking pot hole lakes for aquaculture purposes would apply to North Star’s proposal.

“As discussed, the Yukon government currently has in place a moratorium on the stocking of pot hole lakes for aquaculture,” Istchenko wrote. “I confirm that this moratorium has a specific application to pot hole lake fish stocking operations. The current moratorium would not apply to the project interest you describe, if a fully self-contained system with no use of nature water bodies for either supply or discharge (is used).”

NutraPonics facilities use a system where water (anticipated to be well water for the Yukon facility) is cycled through a loop beginning with fish tanks housing tilapia. The water - rich with nutrients from the fish waste - then moves through bio-filters and on to plants that are grown in the facility. The clean water from there then moves back to the fish tank.

Armed with letters of support from the Whitehorse and Yukon chambers of commerce, the Yukon Agricultural Association, Whitehorse Food Bank, Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition and the Yukon NDP among others, Gray said the demand for local produce is there and he believes a NutraPonics system is the way to go.

North Star, Gray has said, would be looking to tap into local markets not currently being serviced, bringing produce beginning with leafy greens, to major grocery stores. It would not be looking to be at the farmer’s market every week or to commercially grow and sell root vegetables, as locals are already doing and doing well.

Gray is confident this type of looped system will become the standard of farming in the future as it can yield more plant growth through a shelving system for the plants as well as allows for growth throughout the year. That has positive implications both in terms of climate issues (such as the Yukon’s short growing season) and for parts of the world where space is at a premium.

“This is the type of system you’ll see them adopting,” Gray said.

The NutraPonics systems can be built big or small with North Star planning for a phased-in approach that would start with a 25,000 square feet facility and be expanded by another 25,000 square feet annually until full build-out of 100,000 square feet.

Gray is aiming to build the facility just outside the city. While a precise location has yet to be found, Gray pointed out property taxes are lower outside of the Whitehorse boundaries and there is next to no agriculturally-zoned land in the city. The city is working on an agricultural strategy that could make for some changes in the future, but as it stands now agricultural opportunities are limited in city boundaries.

“That limits us,” Gray said.

North Star also needs to make sure the site that houses the facility will be large enough to accommodate all the phases.

At full-build out Gray expects it will employ about 25 staffers.

While North Star Agriculture continues developing partnerships and finding funding and NutraPonics officials go through the business plan, there are also efforts underway to determine what approval processes will be needed for the business.

Officials are determining, for example, whether it would have to go through a review by Yukon Environmental and Socioeconomic Assessment board.

“We’re not using any exterior water,” Gray said, noting the facility would likely use well water.

An assessment of a NutraPonics facility in St. Stephen, N.B., found there were essentially no major environmental impacts from the facility.

With a system that re-circulates water, the carbon footprint is small.

Gray is aiming to have construction of the first phase of the facility underway next spring.

“We’re pretty aggressive,” he said, noting the questions around the moratorium on stocking of pot hole lakes has been holding up progress.

With Istchenko’s letter in hand, Gray can move forward with the next steps.

He anticipates working out agreements with potential partners through the fall and getting funding in place through the winters so construction can begin in the spring.

By STEPHANIE WADDELL Star Reporter