Carbonneutral greenhouse facility coming to CBU

SYDNEY — A fully automated greenhouse will be developed at Cape Breton University to produce a variety of herbs and leafy greens from the planting process through to harvest.

The carbon-neutral facility will be a first for Cape Breton and be focused on food security.

The university and ViaTalenta Group announced their collaboration this week that will bring research and development facilities known as Turtle Greens Ltd. to Cape Breton. The partnership will see a one-hectare, state-of-the-art, sustainable greenhouse established on a recently acquired plot adjacent to CBU.

“I am pleased that VTG has chosen our island to build this significant piece of infrastructure that will increase food security, create jobs and provide educational opportunities to our community and educational partners,” said David Dingwall, president and vicechancellor of CBU, in a news release.

As part of the project, Vivatalenta and CBU will create a research chair in sustainability and precision agriculture to leverage ViaTalenta Group’s international network of knowledge and applied research.

The greenhouse is part of Vivatalenta’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which it indicates has intensified the need for distributed food supply chains, competition for jobs and increased skills requirements.

The new unit at CBU is intended to help students acquire skills to address food security and the climate crisis, including exploring advanced sustainable agricultural practices using the latest advances in technology, acquiring practical experience and gaining an understanding of plant science and its impact on sustainable production, nutrition and health.

“When VTG invests, it does so in a comprehensive manner to ensure that the impact is generated across a theme. Food security, education and economic development are at the heart of our activities in the Atlantic region, and this pilot is one of many to come,” said Georgio Pauen, CEO of Viatalenta Group, in a news release.

The federal government is providing a $2.5-million loan through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency toward the sustainable greenhouse and advanced manufacturing equipment.

Nova Scotia Business Inc., the province’s business development agency, has also approved a payroll rebate for the company of up to $846,825 over five years to support the creation of up to 60 jobs at the operation.

Vivatalenta is based in Switzerland, with offices in Canada. Viatalenta Group Ltd. references itself as a family office for impact investment and sustainability.

Its Cape Breton greenhouse operations are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2022. The pilot project is to be the first of several Vivatalenta is involved in across Canada.