'This is their livelihood': Fishery in Grand Rapids burns down, impacting local fishing community
A fishery located in central Manitoba that operates right next to Lake Winnipeg has burned down, leaving the fishing community wondering what will happen next.
Bobby Ballantyne, a member of the co-op and part of the board of directors, said a fire broke out in the early morning hours on Sunday. He said it's believed it was an electrical fire, but an investigation is ongoing.
"It's a devastating loss to our community. Not only our community but our fishermen," said Ballantyne.
He said the fishery employed 90 active fishermen and 24 retired commercial fishermen and the plant had six workers that helped with weighing, sorting and packing the fish.
"On average, we harvest about 265,000 kilograms of fish annually. That's a revenue of $110,000 the co-op lost. And a total of approximately $1.5 million is paid out to active fishermen annually," Ballantyne said.
"This is their livelihood. This is how they feed their family. This is a state of emergency. I'm just devastated myself."
Ballantyne said an agreement has been made with a neighbouring fish shed so fishermen could send their fish there, but he noted it is two hours away and fishermen would have to drive the fish there themselves, leaving some waiting to see what happens next for the Grand Rapids co-op.
In the short term, Ballantyne said they are hoping to set up some kind of mobile packing and weighing station to help those fishermen in the area. In the long term, he is hoping construction on a new building can start as soon as possible once the investigation has wrapped up.
Ballantyne added the fishery is hoping some kind of financial help will be provided to set up the mobile station, whether it be from the province or another source.
"Our fishermen are hardworking people that provide for their families…so any kind of help would be gratefully appreciated."
In a statement from the province, a spokesperson said it is aware of the situation and has spoken with fishers in the area to look at other delivery options.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.