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Government of Canada invests in marine training for women, Northerners, Inuit and Indigenous peoples

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Article Source: Transport Canada

Indigenous coastal communities share ties to Canada’s oceans that span generations. They value them as a source of livelihood, food security, and transportation routes. The Oceans Protection Plan is providing Indigenous peoples with new opportunities to protect and preserve Canada’s oceans and sea routes. 

Today, the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport announced that the Government of Canada is providing funding over three years to the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) to deliver a program to increase access to marine training courses for Indigenous communities.

This $6.2 million in funding under the Oceans Protection Plan to BCIT will deliver a joint project with Camosun College to engage and consult with Indigenous communities to establish the full scope of training to be delivered and provide options to deliver training in Indigenous communities. BCIT and Camosun will also work with a number of industry partners, marine employers, and Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary to offer opportunities to work and gain experience at sea.

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, and reduces barriers to marine training for underrepresented groups in the marine labour force, such as women, Northerners, Inuit and Indigenous peoples.

The Oceans Protection Plan is creating a world-leading marine safety system that provides economic opportunities for Canadians today, while protecting our coasts and waterways for generations to come. Work is being done in close collaboration with Inuit and Indigenous peoples, local stakeholders and coastal communities.