Canada’s Ocean Supercluster Announces Cluster Building Vitality Project – One Of Four Ocean Supercluster Projects Announced Today In Dartmouth
One of Four Ocean Supercluster Projects Announced Today in Dartmouth
Watch the Live Announcement Here…
(Dartmouth, NS) – Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announced four projects today including the cluster-building project called Vitality. The Vitality Project is a transformative approach to address the shared data challenges of the ocean economy. This project will capitalize on Canada’s ocean data to deliver definitive commercial outcomes to the businesses involved by advancing ocean data analysis, management and visualization capabilities, and products.
With a total project value of more than $3.8 million, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster will provide funding in the amount of $1.5 million with the balance of funding coming from project partners. Vitality is led by Pisces Research Project Management Inc. together with project partners from across Canada including: Dalhousie University, Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc., Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy, University of Victoria, St. Lawrence Global Observatory, Tula Foundation and The Hakai Institute, Marine Renewables Canada, and COINAtlantic.
This collaboration will see the development of new, applicable low-cost data streams, and the development of tools to manage those streams, as well as software that lowers the barrier to entry for the application of this data. Vitality will develop new training programs to address skill gaps while incrementally building on existing resources and expertise, creating ten new jobs and with 100 trainees. The project will also build tools and linkages between the Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System (CIOOS) and three emerging environmental technology and data-heavy ocean sectors: aquaculture, tidal power, and offshore wind. Ocean Supercluster members will lead the development of the tools needed to acquire, manage, and visualize data to improve the quality of decision-making processes. These partnerships will result in the realization of commercial outcomes for the businesses involved and additional capacity for these important and emerging sectors, demonstrating the value of shared data in the modern economy.
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is an industry-led transformative cluster focused on tackling the shared challenges across ocean sectors through a collaborative program designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of globally-relevant solutions, while also building a highly-capable, inclusive workforce. To encourage innovation and trigger new industry investment during these challenging times, the Ocean Supercluster supplemented its core programs with an additional project stream called Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program (AOSP). This enables the development of smaller projects on a shorter timeline that deliver tangible outcomes, while continuing to build resiliency in our ocean sectors.
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“Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is energizing the ocean economy through its support of innovative ventures, like Vitality, that will bring even more partners together to enhance our country’s position as a hub for ocean data collection and management. This cluster-building project will build critical capacity and provide solutions to real-life ocean sector data challenges.” The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
“The future of ocean is digital. On that journey, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is thrilled to announce The Vitality Project today, helping to unlock the potential of data, leveraging resources, closing gaps, and expanding capabilities as we work together to grow our ocean economy in an inclusive, sustainable way.” Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
“Vitality will provide access to well documented and structured data, addressing some of the largest barriers to more advanced analytical exploration in the ocean economy. Bringing together this diverse group of organizations will ensure students, researchers and companies are better equipped to make more informed decisions and develop innovative products and services that support critical growth in the ocean sector in Canada.” Jennifer LaPlate, Executive Director, DeepSense
“3D Wave Design is excited to be part of Vitality project. As Indigenous technology company we are pleased to contribute to a “Two-eye seeing” approach to incorporating traditional Mi’kmaq perspectives and knowledge with the latest in ocean data acquisition, analysis for sustainable development and conservation. Canada’s Ocean Super Cluster vision and support was key.” Barry Stevens, President SS&DI/3D Wave Design
“Vitality will supplement open data initiatives and provide visibility to data which would otherwise be siloed, supporting growth in a Blue Economy that is increasingly dependent on ocean observations and forecasts; it is further an important step forward in supporting the sustainability and economic value of our ever-changing oceans.” Shayla Fitzsimmons, Executive Director, CIOOS Atlantic
“We’re still in the early days of a digital transformation that we didn’t invite but which we cannot avoid. Data plays an essential role in the Blue Economy, so the Vitality project is an essential investment in the people, infrastructure, and technology needed for Canada to remain internationally competitive.” Mike Smit, CIOOS Atlantic & Associate Professor, Dalhousie University
“The opportunity of Canada’s ocean economy is massive, like our coastline. So is the challenge of leveraging ocean data for economic benefit. If we truly want to advance Canada’s ocean leadership and take advantage of our vast ocean resources and talent, we need to work together to create and share ocean data tools, skills and infrastructure. VITALITY, leveraging the Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System, is a perfectly timed opportunity to do just that.” Kes Morton, CEO, Pisces Research Project Management
“A significant barrier to entry and expansion of the aquaculture industry is the time, effort and cost to collect relevant data from multiple sources to evaluate site feasibility. Centralizing oceanographic data on CIOOS substantially increases accessibility and interoperability for use by many ocean sector users. The Centre for Marine Applied Research (CMAR) is pleased to be a project partner as this tool is significantly valuable to determine the optimal and sustainable use of our oceans.” Leah Lewis-McCrea, Research Manager, CMAR
“As an emerging sector, there are many data requirements and needs for marine renewable energy – and many gaps. The VITALITY project will support industry in finding, accessing and using data to identify optimal sites for development. This is particularly useful for the marine renewable energy industry because potential sites and ecosystems are all unique.” Elisa Obermann, Executive Director, Marine Renewables Canada
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