May 22, 2026 | Port Alberni, BC – The Port Alberni Port Authority is proud to announce the official opening of The Dock+ expansion, a $5 million project that strengthens local seafood processing capacity, supports food security, and creates new opportunities for producers across the Alberni Valley and beyond.
The project was made possible through generous support from the Government of British Columbia, with $3 million in funding administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF), along with $1.5 million by the Port Alberni Port Authority and $500,000 by Kuunaa Foods, a partnership between Huu-ay-aht First Nations and Nova Harvest.
The Dock+ is now a shared food processing facility of more than 20,000 square feet. As part of the BC Regional Food Hub Network, it is home to multiple anchor tenants and supports a growing network of local producers, seafood businesses, and food entrepreneurs.
“This expansion is about more than infrastructure—it’s about creating opportunity,” said Shelley Chrest, Chair of the Port Alberni Port Authority Board of Directors. “The Dock+ expansion is helping to build a more resilient and diversified local economy. This investment strengthens our ability to support local producers, create jobs, and improve access to high-quality, affordable food for our communities.”
At the center of the expansion is the addition of a High-Pressure Processing machine. HPP technology allows seafood products to be processed more efficiently, extends shelf life, improves distribution, and helps reduce costs for consumers.
“This project represents what’s possible when strong partnerships come together with a shared purpose.” JP Hastey, Kuunaa Foods reflects, “The expansion gives us the tools to grow responsibly, create value-added products, and ensure the benefits of that growth are felt right here in our communities—from harvest to processing to market.”
The project was initially spearheaded by Kuunaa Foods, designed and developed by the Port Alberni Port Authority, and made possible in large part through funding from the Government of British Columbia through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
“By combining traditional foods, ancestral knowledge, and modern science, we are building a sustainable economy rooted in our sacred principles: iisaak (Greater Respect), uʔaałuk (Taking Care Of), and hišukma cawaak (Everything is One). This work creates opportunities for future generations, and empowers our youth through education grounded in culture, values, and innovation.” Said Larry Johnson, Operating Board Chair, Hu-ay-aht First Nations Group of Businesses.
The Dock+ expansion reflects the power of collaboration and the shared long-term vision of building a more connected, sustainable, and prosperous regional food system in the Alberni Valley.
“Port Alberni is a crucial hub for Vancouver Island and B.C.’s seafood industry, and a gateway to food security and innovation in our province’s aquaculture,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food. “Since opening in 2021, the Dock+ has served as a community gathering place for people, businesses and charities to support the local food economy and Indigenous food systems. I couldn’t be more proud of them. This expansion reflects the Province’s strong support for this important facility and the lasting foundation it continues to build.”
“IAF is proud to administer the Food Storage, Distribution and Retail Program and support projects like Dock+ that improve food access, strengthen local economies, and build more resilient communities,” said Jack Dewit, Chair of IAF. “Projects like Dock+ demonstrate the importance of collaboration, innovation, and regional leadership in building a stronger food system for British Columbia.”
L to R: Minister Josie Osborne, Shelley Chrest, Board Chair, Port Alberni Port Authority, Mike Carter, Co-CEO, Port Alberni Port Authority, JP Hastey, Nova Harvest/Kuunaa Foods, Patrick Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer for the Huu-ay-aht Group of Businesses, Hendrik Steenkamp, Director of Programs at the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC
ABOUT
The Dock+ is operated by the Port Alberni Port Authority and is part of the BC regional food hub network. The facility is a shared 17,000 sq ft. space, consisting of seven anchor tenants, a cold storage facility, blast freezer, and ice plant. Of the seven anchor tenants, five are CFIA certified fisheries and aquaculture processors, including Nova Harvest Ltd.
Nova Harvest Ltd. is a vertically integrated oyster company, operating a hatchery and oyster farms in Barkley Sound and a CFIA federally licensed processing facility located within the Port Alberni Dock+ Food Hub. Their mission is to provide a reliable Canadian source of high-quality shellfish seed while developing innovative, mechanized, efficient, and scalable shellfish aquaculture technologies that increase the productivity and economic sustainability of oyster farming.
Huu-ay-aht First Nations Fisheries LP (HFN Fisheries LP) operates as part of the Huu-ay-aht Group of Businesses (HGB), an economic development corporation wholly owned by the Huu-ay-aht First Nations. In 2020, HFN Fisheries LP partnered with Nova Harvest to initiate oyster farming activities within their traditional territory, significantly expanding oyster production capabilities.
