Government of Canada invests in marine conferences

The Government of Canada, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), is investing in two marine-themed conferences which will serve to highlight the research and development and industrial capacity of Newfoundland and Labrador's growing ocean technology cluster

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The 13th Annual General Assembly of the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU) will take place from October 15-17, while Ocean Innovation 2012 will run from October 21-24. Both events are hosted by the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland and will take place in St. John's.

"These conferences speak to two of our Government's main priorities, as outlined in our Economic Action Plan 2012. They reflect our support for research and development, and the responsible development of our natural resources," said the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Associate Minister of National Defence and Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie). "The Government of Canada understands the importance of investing in ocean innovation. We know our oceans hold great opportunity for jobs and economic growth, but that harnessing that comes with tremendous risk. That is why we support these conferences and why we invest in the many companies, institutions and researchers who focus on developing the oceans' resources safely and responsibly."

At the 13th Annual General Assembly of the IAMU, delegates will focus on the conference theme, "Expanding Frontiers - Challenges and Opportunities in Maritime Education and Training." Some areas to be discussed include training and research in harsh and ice-covered environments and an evaluation of the demand and opportunities for trade and transportation. For more information, visit www.iamu2012.com.

In this its 10th year, the Ocean Innovation conference will bring together internationally recognized researchers, regulators, policy makers and innovators to explore the state of the art in training, knowledge and equipment: supporting safety and survival in extreme ocean environments.

This year, Ocean Innovation has partnered with the International Association for Safety and Survival Training (IASST) to bring practical, hands-on experience to the conference.

"The Marine Institute's exceptional educational and applied research programs, in combination with its close ties to companies in the marine and ocean industries, have helped position Memorial University and Newfoundland and Labrador at the forefront of ocean innovation in Canada," said Glenn Blackwood, vice-president, Memorial University (Marine Institute). "We are grateful for ACOA's support for these conferences that will bring experts from around the globe to share our knowledge and showcase our contributions to the maritime education, training and ocean technology sectors."

The Government of Canada's support for the conferences is provided through a commitment of $40,000 under ACOA's Business Development Program.

 For more information please contact:

Andrea Richer
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt
613-790-3637

Doug Burgess
Director, Public Affairs
ACOA NL
709-772-2935

Kim Thornhill
Educational Marketing Coordinator
Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University
709-778-0544