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From Georgian Bay to Coast-to-Coast
How James Quinn turned friendship and a love of fishing into a Canadian seafood business

With roots in the Georgian Bay Métis Community around Penetanguishene, James Quinn grew up with a strong connection to the water. Long before he considered starting a seafood business, fishing was simply part of daily life — shaped by family tradition and years spent on Ontario’s lakes and shorelines. His grandfather helped anchor that legacy, later opening a marina in Simcoe and building a family livelihood connected to the water.
 
Raised in Keswick, Ontario, and tracing his Métis ancestry through the Magdelene-Laronde family, James grew up with a clear sense of what truly fresh fish should taste like. Although he had spent most of his life fishing, he never expected to enter the seafood business. That changed just over a year ago, when a simple observation sparked a big idea.
 
James, alongside his close friends Glen Creaser and Javier Mejorada, noticed that much of the fish available in supermarkets lacked freshness and connection to its source. Drawing on his experience fishing in Ontario, himself, Glen and Javier began asking a question that would soon define their paths: What if good-quality Canadian seafood could be brought inland, without compromising freshness? Starting with just a chest freezer in a condo, James, Glen and Javier—who hail from the Georgian Bay, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia respectively—set out to bridge that gap. Today, their business ships seafood coast to coast across Canada. Thus began Larry’s Catch.
 
Named after Glen’s father Larry Creaser, a 5th generation fishing captain from Nova Scotia, Larry’s Catch offers good-quality Canadian Seafood delivered to your door across Canada. Their aim is to source with intention.
 
“We don’t just source any fish from anywhere. We seek the highest quality products in the country, so our customers never have to settle for less.”
 
Entrepreneurship has long been part of James’ story. He attended Our Lady of the Lake High School in Keswick, where he also served as an Indigenous liaison with the York District Catholic School Board, helping support the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives. He went on to study business and finance at Queen’s University, where he developed a strong foundation in finance. While he enjoyed the subject, he realized he was less drawn to traditional paths like investment banking and found greater fulfillment in entrepreneurship. Focusing on entrepreneurship gave him the opportunity to learn how to build something from the ground up—rooted in values and purpose. but found the focus was too much on high finance. Switching to entrepreneurship allowed him to learn how to build something of his own—rooted in values and purpose.
 
That independence runs in the family. Both his father and grandfather operated their own businesses, and James credits them with showing him that forging your own path is possible. Starting his own business, he says, gave him control over his destiny and the ability to create something that could make a difference.
 
James remains closely connected to the land and water. He holds a Métis harvester’s card, and his favourite kind of fishing is ice fishing — a tradition he grew up sharing with his father. Each year, he also returns to his family’s traditional territory near Britt, outside Parry Sound, where they continue to hunt together at a long-standing family camp.
 
Recognition for James’ work has come quickly. A Youth Entrepreneurship Award win in Winnipeg was both unexpected and meaningful, especially as an Indigenous entrepreneur. His January 22 appearance on Dragon’s Den marked another big moment — surreal, he says, for someone who grew up watching the show. On top of that, Larry’s catch has, to date- surpassed over 10,000 orders across Canada.
 
Looking ahead, James hopes his journey encourages other Métis citizens to explore entrepreneurship.
 
“I would encourage everyone who can in the Métis community to start their own business. It’s the biggest thing you can do to make a difference. Educate yourselves on what the MNO has to offer to help you get started. Forge your own path—there’s never been a better time to start.”
 
From Georgian Bay roots to a coast-to-coast operation, James Quinn’s story is one of connection—to community, to culture, and to the water that helped shape his journey.