Along with the ocean supercluster, there are four others across the country in critical sectors: Digital Technology, Protein Industries (PIC), Next Generation Manufacturing (NGen) and Scale AI. Since 75% of Canada’s ocean economy is based in Atlantic Canada, our region was a natural home for the Ocean Supercluster. When it was founded in 2018, one of the first things Kendra and her team did was create an ocean asset map to inventory ocean companies across Canada. Today, that list sits at over 3,000 organizations on all three coasts from fisheries, aquaculture, defence, offshore resources, marine renewables, bioresources, shipping, and ocean technology. The organization is unique in how it’s connecting the players in new ways and at a scale never seen before. The members, including industry members who invest in projects and associate members, are collaborating in various ways, from co-investing with new partners to sharing data that can benefit the entire ecosystem.

The ultimate outcome? Growth. That means more investment, more economic activity, more ocean economy jobs. It means new companies and new markets, including outside of Canada. Kendra and her team aim to advance Canada’s position as a global leader. An export-oriented sector, there’s an opportunity to attract investment and identify promising markets at home and abroad. The big vision is to have all the players working together across the country to make Canada an international leader, so, as Kendra says, “there's not a key ocean conversation that would happen around the world that Canada wouldn't be a part of.”I love the scale of that ambition and vision. All of us in Atlantic Canada need to be thinking about ourselves on a global stage in all areas of innovation.  It needs to be a part of our DNA in everything that we do to drive economic growth.

Ocean tech is a fascinating and diverse field. The costs and risks of doing business in the ocean are unique, as there isn’t the same infrastructure as on land. In its singularity, there is an ocean of opportunity (sorry!). The Supercluster approved 36 projects in the last six months. In total, there are over 40 projects in various stages. Only five have been announced, so expect to see a lot more from them in the months and years to come. Kendra talked about Ocean Aware, a $29-million project with 11 collaborators in diverse sectors, including aquaculture, fisheries, oil and gas, energy and ocean technology, academia, and DFO, with the shared goal of being a global leader in sensor technology. We talked about how marine renewables could help meet energy demand and the need for cleantech and sustainability. We also touched on technology like the digital twin, a virtual replica of an asset such as an offshore platform, ship or aquaculture pen. The virtual twin can help with things like predictive maintenance. Kendra told me how at a recent United Nations World Oceans Day event, the talk turned to how in 10 years, there may be a virtual twin of the entire ocean.Wow! This can all be done with the right talent, capital, and technology.  Unbelievable.