Completion of the Oceans Innovation Hub on the Strait of Canso
News release
December 8, 2020
Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia
Transport Canada
Canadians everywhere rely on marine transportation for trade, travel and security. The Oceans Protection Plan’s Marine Training Program contributes to a strong marine industry by encouraging underrepresented groups to seek jobs in the marine sector.
The Member of Parliament for Cape Breton – Canso, Mike Kelloway, visited the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) on behalf of the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, to mark the completion of the Oceans Innovation Hub on the Strait of Canso. The Oceans Innovation Hub was completed with the help of the Town of Port Hawkesbury and Cape Breton Partnership, and is funded through the Oceans Protection Plan’s Marine Training Program.
The Oceans Innovation Hub contains a dedicated classroom space and NSCC expects to train approximately 95 students per year at this location. The site will also be used as a preparatory orientation site for all marine students who will be boarding training vessels at the Port Hawkesbury Wharf.
The Marine Training Program is part of the $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan, the largest investment ever made to protect Canada’s coasts and waterways. The program is designed to:
- increase access to marine training courses for underrepresented groups in the marine sector, including women, Northerners, Inuit, and Indigenous Peoples;
- reflect Indigenous knowledge and the learning needs of remote coastal communities; and
- provide infrastructure, equipment, and new technology to improve marine training and local access.
NSCC’s Marine Training Program showcases how the Oceans Protection Plan is creating a world-leading marine safety system which provides economic opportunities for Canadians today, while protecting our coasts and waterways for generations to come. Work is being done in collaboration with Inuit and Indigenous Peoples, local stakeholders, and coastal communities.
Quotes
“Our Government is committed to maintaining a well-trained marine labour force reflective of Canada’s diverse population. Thanks to initiatives like the Oceans Protection Plan’s Marine Training Program, Canada’s marine safety system is stronger than it has ever been.”
The Honourable Marc Garneau
Minister of Transport
“As a former employee of the Nova Scotia Community College, I’ve seen first-hand how students have benefited from experiential learning and how effectively it prepares them to enter the workforce as skilled and knowledgeable professionals. Thanks to funding from the Oceans Protection Program, the Nova Scotia Community College’s new Oceans Innovation Hub will contribute to the learning experience of marine students for years to come. This would not have been possible without the support and leadership from the Town of Port Hawkesbury and the Cape Breton Partnership, who continue to collaborate with me to discover innovative ways to contribute to the community.”
Mike Kelloway
The Member of Parliament for Cape Breton – Canso
“The Innovative expansion of marine-based educational and training opportunities at the Port Hawkesbury Waterfront will be transformative for our Strait Region’s future economic growth and prosperity. We are so grateful to have partners, stakeholders, and governments collaborating to make exciting announcements like these possible.”
Brenda Chisholm Beaton
Mayor, Town of Port Hawkesbury
Quick facts
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Transport Canada’s Marine Training Program provides federal funding to facilitate access to marine training to underrepresented groups by supporting learning programs and enhancing the infrastructure of Canada’s marine training schools.
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In collaboration with Inuit and Indigenous Peoples, the Oceans Protection Plan is contributing to marine training programs and curricula that reflect Inuit and Indigenous knowledge, create a safer learning environment, and prioritize equitable work cultures.
Associated links
Contacts
Allison St-Jean
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Marc Garneau
Minister of Transport, Ottawa
(613) 290-8656
Allison.St-Jean@tc.gc.ca
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
media@tc.gc.ca
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