June 12, 2018

Industry, partners and tenants gathered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on June 6thto launch the new Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship, known as COVE. Tim Edwards, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association confirms the association will be relocating to the COVE this August.

COVE is a world-class facility for applied innovation in the ocean sector and the only such hub of its kind in the world where start-up companies, small and medium sized enterprises, large firms and post-secondary expertise are housed together developing ocean technology. At least 40 organizations are expected to work out of COVE, with the first company, Kraken Robotics, moving in at the beginning of July.

COVE tenants will benefit from collaborative spaces, shared equipment, workshops, machine shop and marine services, wharves, direct ocean access, incubation space and programming, and more. COVE will also include a “Startup Yard” incubator for new ocean technology companies, which will be managed by Innovacorp.

“COVE will propel our ocean economy and give innovators the support they need to build great companies,” said Minister LabiKousoulis on behalf of Nova Scotia’s Minister of Business Geoff MacLellan. “We are proud to have this world-class facility in our province and region.”

COVE has been developed with the generous support of the Province of Nova Scotia, Government of Canada and Irving Shipbuilding. In addition to the purchase of the property, the Province of Nova Scotia has invested approximately $15 million in the renovations of the site as well as IT infrastructure, and will contribute $300,000 annually for incubation activities. The Government of Canada has also contributed $7.2 million to the project under the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund andIrving Shipbuilding has invested $4.5 million through the National Shipbuilding Strategy.

The Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and will be moving its Halifax-based offices to COVE on the Dartmouth waterfront on 1st August.

The Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association (NSBA) was established 20 years ago to help grow and diversify the boatbuilding industry in Canada’s Maritimes. The NSBA has 44 boatbuilding companies and 53 marine supplier companies in its membership. NSBA members design and build a diverse range of commercial and recreational small vessels up to 24 meters in length – including autonomous drones, commercial fishing boats, workboats, and around-the-world sailboats.

To help provide recognition for those already working in the industry, and to provide structured training for those entering it, the NSBA established two trades in partnership with the Nova Scotia government: Boat Builder and Marine Service Technician. Each trade has a competency-based apprenticeship program to support it, which is helping attract more young people into the sector.
The NSBA also promotes its members nationally and internationally, provides technical and market advice, and represents the boatbuilding sector at all levels of government.

Tim Edwards, Executive Director stated, “Being a tenant at COVE will create new opportunities for collaboration and partnership with others in the Oceans Technology sector – and this will benefit NSBA members in the boatbuilding industry, including small vessel manufacturers, designers, trainers, regulators, surveyors and academics. We are very excited to be part of COVE.”