Niagara College Canada
IN-1: Innovation 1

In March 2014, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada awarded Niagara College funding from the Applied Research Tools and Instruments Grant to purchase and install two independent aquaponics systems, including four 110-gallon fish tanks and eight grow beds with a total of 144 square-feet for hydroponic growing, along with aquariums for breeding. Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil) into one closed loop, sustainable system that uses the fish waste to provide an organic source of nutrients for hydroponically grown plants. In other words, sustainable food production happens both in the water and above it. The greens are being harvested on a regular basis to be prepped by the students of the College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute, and served in Benchmark restaurant. Eventually, tilapia will be grown in the tank to be harvested and served at Benchmark – the College’s teaching restaurant. The research project will continue to be fine-tuned, while offering a living teaching tool for both horticulture and culinary academic programs.

The aquaponics system allows more food to be grown on campus, including both leafy greens and fish, that reduces the need to purchase food grown elsewhere for use in the Canadian Food and Wine Institute, while being a useful teaching aid in both the horticulture and culinary academic programs.