November 25, 2025

Quadrant Marine Institute Program Administrator, Jan Bellamy shared this very concerning information with Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest.
 
Quadrant Marine Institute has been successfully delivering the Marine Service Technician (MST) technical training program for 30 years with apprentices across the country. However, recent government funding cutbacks have placed that successful delivery at risk. In short, for the first time in 30 years our funding has been cut by half. Meaning no government subsidized funding for Level 1s, which is not sustainable for our growing industry.
 
Quadrant is currently in active conversations with government representatives to increase training funding for skilled trades essential to vessel construction, repair, and refit. Our efforts are significantly enhanced and strengthened when we demonstrate to government that our industry partners and organizations also support our efforts – we’ve had several positive meetings since the announcement and hope to build on the recent update of upcoming increased trade training investments https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025PSFS0052-001123  
 
Also, we are creating private funding streams for industry and those with a lifelong love of boats and boating.

For individuals needing a tax deduction receipt, we’ve partnered with the Construction Foundation of BC for our Marine Service Excellence Fund https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/50278 .
 
For businesses who can write off support for our programming and industry promotion activities as a business expense, the West Coast Boatyard Association has launched the QMI Training Fund http://www.quadrantmarinetrainingfund.ca . Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest has been asked to share these links across our network in hope that the more people we can get working to solve this issue, will help ease the burden on us all!
 
Quanrant Marine Institute’s  commitment to a sustainable future for marine service apprentices and our employer partners is unwavering. Don’t hesitate to contact them if you have any questions or ideas.

Jan Bellamy, Program Administrator, info@quadrantmarine.com

www.quadrantmarine.com