August 28, 2012 – Yarmouth, NS: “It is vital that Atlantic Canada’s small and medium-sized enterprises are aware of the numerous opportunities that our Government’s $33-billion investment in shipbuilding will create in communities throughout the region.” That was the message which West Nova Member of Parliament Greg Kerr, delivered to businesspeople attending a supplier development information session organized under the Atlantic Shipbuilding Action Plan.
Kerr was there on behalf of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Associate Minister of National Defence and Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie). He went on to explain that, “The information provided through this supplier development information session will help these business owners to understand the range of opportunities related to the shipbuilding work and how they can prepare themselves to take advantage of these opportunities. The job creation and economic growth that will flow from this enormous initiative will endure for decades.”
The session is a key component of this action plan, which was designed to help Atlantic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) understand and be part of the shipbuilding procurement process while addressing areas such as innovation capacity, certification and the workforce skills they need to compete as suppliers and sub-contractors.
As part of the first phase of the Atlantic Shipbuilding Action Plan, a successful series of 10 supplier development information sessions took place throughout Atlantic Canada during the months of February, March and April 2012. These sessions attracted over 820 participants from a wide range of Atlantic SMEs looking for information and advice on how to access the various upcoming shipbuilding supply chain opportunities.
In May, the Agency held a Marine and Defence Supplier Development Industry Day, organized in conjunction with CANSEC, in Ottawa. This event drew more than 100 representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises from Atlantic Canada and provided them with their first opportunity to have one-on-one meetings with many of the prime sub-contractors who could be involved in the Government of Canada’s $33-billion shipbuilding initiative.
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INFORMATION: Andréa Richer, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, 613-790-3637
Alex Smith; Director, Communications and Outreach, ACOA Nova Scotia, 902-426-9417 / 902-830-3839 (cell), alex.smith@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
