Golden cans, cold beer, and wild salmon might not be the usual trio – but Vancouver Island Brewing (VIB) is betting they make the perfect mix this summer.
The Victoria-based brewery has teamed up with the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) and three of the province’s top fishing lodges to launch a campaign aimed at protecting B.C.’s wild salmon.
Starting July 1, $1 from every special-edition Islander Lager 8-pack will be donated to the foundation, with a guaranteed minimum pledge of $10,000 toward habitat restoration and conservation efforts across the province.
This campaign comes with a hook: hidden golden cans in select 8-packs will enter lucky beer drinkers into a draw for guided fishing trips to Nootka Marine Adventures, Tofino Resort and Marina, and Reel Obsession Sport Fishing.
“It really just came out of a love of salmon all around,” said Ana Wagner-Chazalon, marketing manager for VIB. “We saw a connection through our beer drinkers – especially Islander Lager – to fishing culture and conservation, and just thought, what if this beer could do something a little bigger this year?”
That idea brewed into the new campaign, which leans into the outdoorsy lifestyle many of the brewery’s customers live.
Wagner-Chazalon said they took inspiration from where people go and what they do after grabbing an 8-pack – often, she noted, they’re heading out to fish.
The financial support will be timely for the wild salmon population.
According to PSF’s 2024 State of Salmon report, Vancouver Island’s six species of wild salmon are overall in decline.
Chum and steelhead populations are both down around 50 per cent – and coho and sockeye are also trending downward.
PSF’s work spans a wide range of restoration efforts – from complex marine habitat projects to seemingly small but impactful initiatives like hatchery effectiveness, nearshore and estuary projects, and even filtering runoff.
“They’ve worked on these specific types of gardens that filter runoff from roads and parking lots before it reaches streams,” Wagner-Chazalon said. “They cool the water, remove toxins – it’s just one example of how they’re doing stewardship work at a science-based level.”
The fishing lodges involved in the campaign were quick to sign on, she added, noting each already incorporates sustainable practices into their operations.
“It’s just really exciting to see them so invested in doing things in a sustainable way,” she said. “There are so many different ways to experience this Island – but when it’s done responsibly, everyone wins.”
Specially marked 8-packs are now on shelves at liquor stores across B.C.
