Gigrow invests $13 million to build Quebec urban farm

Construction has begun on what’s being described as one of Quebec’s largest urban agriculture projects.

Gigrow Urban Farms, a new Quebec company specializing in sustainable agriculture, announced on Aug. 5 during a ground-breaking event an investment of $13 million for the construction of its first urban farm, a 24,000-square-foot facility located in the Varennes industrial park.

Using their partner Gigrow’s Quebec-developed technology, called horizontal rotary garden, Gigrow Urban Farms expects to eventually produce up to four million heads of lettuce a year, as well as other plant products, with a system that reduces water use and produces a year-round, contaminant-free and stable crop. “This is what sets it apart from traditional farming methods around the world,” the company said in a news release.

“Horizontal rotary cultivation is one of the most sustainable solutions for the future of agriculture,” said André Tremblay, president of Gigrow Urban Farms. “We are proud to offer a greener alternative with a carbon footprint as much as five times smaller than other farming methods. Our farms will be operated in a controlled environment that is available 365 days a year. This means we are not dependent on the seasons or the weather. This is a significant step towards Quebec’s food autonomy.”

This initial urban farm is a first milestone for the company, which wants to build three to four other similar facilities across Quebec within the next five years. In addition, since the technology used meets all organic farming criteria, the company is seeking to obtain organic certification for its crops in the near future.