Project will build a made-in-Canada supply chain connecting coastal biomass harvesting with advanced manufacturing and the built environment
October 28, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Vancouver, BC) – Today, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announced the $1.5 million Scaling Seaweed-based Acoustic Panels Project led by Seacork Studio. The project will transform regeneratively harvested invasive seaweed into carbon-storing acoustic panels, creating new economic opportunities from coastal biomass while advancing a Canadian-made sustainable building material.
The project is led by Vancouver, BC-based Seacork Studio in partnership with Stormy Shores Sea Products in Lasqueti, BC, Victoria International Marina in Victoria, BC, and Arcadia Earth in Toronto, Ontario. With a total project value of $1.5 million, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is investing $403K, with the balance of funding coming from project partners.
The project will establish a commercialization pathway connecting seaweed harvesting, bio-based materials manufacturing, and commercial end users. It will also standardize seaweed feedstock processing, optimize pilot-scale manufacturing, complete third-party performance testing, and install permanent commercial pilots. Together, these activities will move the technology beyond laboratory prototypes and toward market adoption.
Through this project, jobs will be created in harvesting, processing, and manufacturing while strengthening the domestic supply chain for low-carbon building products and helping Canadian companies capture more value from Canadian ocean resources.
The Scaling Seaweed-based Acoustic Panels project highlights how the ocean sector is building a stronger and more resilient Canadian economy by supporting domestic production, trade diversification and export potential, major investment and infrastructure, and skilled workforce development.
Through Ambition 2035 and together with Canada’s ocean community, we are bold in our ambition to grow Canada’s ocean economy 5X to $220 billion by 2035. Continued investment in the accelerated development and commercialization of globally relevant, made-in-Canada ocean solutions will help us realize this ambition. Read more about recommendations to help achieve this transformational growth opportunity outlined in Charting the Course to 5X Growth in Canada’s Ocean Economy and the projected benefits to Canada here.
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Media Contacts
Nancy Andrews
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
nancy.andrews@oceansupercluster.ca
About Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster accelerates the development and commercialization of made-in-Canada ocean solutions in blue food, Arctic & surveillance, ocean energy, and marine decarbonization, while also growing more companies, creating more jobs, and attracting ocean talent. As Canada’s national ocean cluster, the OSC is a convenor of members, partners, and networks and a catalyst for transformative growth that helps build the robust ecosystem needed to help realize Ambition 2035 – a 5X growth potential in ocean in Canada by 2035. To date, the OSC has approved nearly 170 projects valued at more than $700 million, which will deliver more than 300 new made-in-Canada ocean products, processes, and services to sell to the world. Every dollar invested in Ocean Supercluster projects generates more than five times its value in GDP contribution, with the following economic benefits to Canada as of March 2025:
- $1.7 billion in total economic output
- $1 billion in GDP contribution
- Nearly $748 million in total labour income
- Close to 10,000 jobs created
- $286 million in total tax revenues generated
Learn more at oceansupercluster.ca.
About Arcadia Earth Toronto
Arcadia Earth is an immersive environmental exhibit in downtown Toronto that combines large-scale art installations and exciting technology to inspire visitors to take action towards a more sustainable future. Our interactive exhibit will showcase the beauty of our planet and the impact of human actions on the environment. Join us on a journey of discovery and be part of the solution to create a better, more sustainable world for all living beings.
Quotes
“Sustainable building materials help reduce our environmental footprint. This project supported by Canada’s Ocean Supercluster will advance low-carbon biomaterials manufacturing while strengthening our ocean sector and creating good jobs. This is the kind of Canadian innovation that propels technology toward commercialization and drives economic growth.” – The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
“This project is a great example of the economic opportunity that exists at the intersection of Canada’s ocean resources, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable materials. By creating a made-in-Canada pathway from coastal seaweed to a higher-value commercial product, we’re building new supply chains, supporting jobs, and creating opportunities for Canadian companies to compete and grow in domestic and international markets.” – Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
“Canada’s coastline offers a massive opportunity to become a leader in seaweed and bio-based product manufacturing. This project connects each member of the value chain, from harvester to manufacturer to end user, highlighting how Canadian collaboration can develop products that benefit climate, ecosystems, and people.” – Annie Dahan, Founder & CEO, Seacork Studio
“At Arcadia Earth, we’re always looking for innovative ways to bring sustainability to life within our immersive exhibit, so being part of Annie and her team’s journey from the ground floor is incredibly exciting. The idea of transforming seaweed into a beautiful, functional building material is exactly the kind of creative thinking we love to champion. We’re thrilled to bring this made-in-Canada innovation into our space, giving visitors a chance to see firsthand how bold ideas can become real-world solutions.” – Craig Perlmutter, President, Arcadia Earth Toronto
“We are thrilled to see an emergence of real, Canadian demand for seaweed-based products and to have this project catalyze a new chapter for Stormy Shores.” – Jason Rose, Stormy Shores
“There’s something fitting about using a product made from seaweed in a space overlooking the ocean. For us, this project is an opportunity to improve our facilities while supporting Canadian innovation and the development of more sustainable building materials. We’re excited to provide a real-world setting to demonstrate this promising technology and play a part in bringing it to market.” — Craig Norris, CEO, Victoria International Marina