TŜILHQOT'IN TERRITORY, BC, Aug. 25, 2026 /CNW/ -- For generations, First Nations have served as stewards of Pacific salmon and the watersheds that sustain them. Collaboration between Indigenous governments and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) continues to play an important role in rebuilding vulnerable salmon populations in British Columbia and Yukon.

Today, the Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, in partnership with the Tŝilhqot'in National Government, announced the award of a contract valued at over $7.5M to Industra Construction, to formally initiate construction of a new Pacific salmon conservation hatchery in the upper Fraser River watershed.

Since 2022, the Tŝilhqot'in National Government (TNG) and DFO have collaboratively completed feasibility, design, and permitting for a salmon conservation hatchery in Tŝilhqot'in Territory. The facility will be located near Hanceville, British Columbia, on the traditional territory of the Tŝilhqot'in First Nation.

Built by the Government of Canada and operated by the Tŝilhqot'in National Government, the hatchery will be used to rebuild Chinook salmon populations in the Chilcotin River watershed and surrounding area, a number of which have been assessed as at-risk by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

The project will include a hatchery operations building, fish culture and incubation facilities, water supply and distribution systems, utility and back-up power infrastructure, as well as education features. The hatchery will have an initial capacity to raise 250,000 Chinook salmon fry annually and will incorporate design features and technology, which will enable adjustment of operations to evolving conservation priorities and environmental conditions.

The recovery and rebuilding of Pacific salmon stocks in the Chilcotin River watershed will provide tangible benefits to the upper Fraser River ecosystem, improve food security, facilitate re-establishing First Nation cultural connections with salmon, and support long-term sustainability of populations and fisheries for the benefit of all Canadians.

Quotes

"The Tŝilhqot'in Nation has worked for years to bring Chinook salmon back to the Chilcotin, and this hatchery is part of that work. The Tŝilhqot'in National Government is leading it, with Fisheries and Oceans Canada as a partner. New hatchery infrastructure is a long-term investment in that recovery and in the health of the watershed."
The Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries

Salmon are not just a resource for our people; they are food security, intergenerational knowledge sharing, connection to the land and waters, our culture, and who we are as Tŝilhqot'in, the River People. We've been working toward this permanent hatchery since 2019 because we know that our fish should be raised here at home. We built the case, built an interim hatchery and successfully ran it with the highest standards of biosecurity and fish health for two years, and proved we can do this work with excellent results. Now with DFO as our partner, we're bringing this work home permanently, for our fisheries, our communities, and our future generations. Breaking ground for a new permanent hatchery facility this fall is a milestone not just for salmon recovery, but also for Indigenous leadership and the strength of true collaboration.
Chief Otis Guichon, Sr., Tŝideldel First Nation, Tribal Chief of the Tŝilhqot'in National Government 

Quick Facts

• This hatchery is funded by a one-time capital investment for construction and equipment made under the first phase (2021-2025) of Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI). On March 31, 2026, the Government of Canada announced an investment of $412.9 million for the PSSI for the next five years; information on allocation of this new funding will be available in the near future.
• The Government of Canada has implemented a mandatory requirement for federal departments and agencies to ensure that a minimum of five per cent of the total value of contracts is awarded to Indigenous businesses.
• Through the Indigenous Participation Plan (IPP), the contractor is committed to delivering meaningful Indigenous participation, including subcontracting to the Tŝilhqot'in First Nation over the life of the contract.
• In addition to protecting and restoring habitats, DFO produces over 300 million juvenile salmon each year for conservation, stock assessment, and harvest purposes in hatcheries throughout British Columbia.   
• Pacific salmon produced from hatcheries in British Columbia contribute over $100 million to annual provincial GDP and support over 1,500 full-time equivalent jobs in fishery-related industries.

Related Products

• Government of Canada and Tŝilhqot'in National Government partner to support Fraser River Chinook salmon with new hatchery
• Canada's Nature Strategy renews Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative to protect and rebuild wild Pacific salmon populations

Associated Links

• Tŝilhqot'in National Government
• Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative
• Salmonid Enhancement Program
• About hatcheries and spawning channels 

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SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada