Ocean Science and Technology Overview

Jane Rutherford
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Meeting of the EU-Canada JSTCC
Brussels, March 6, 2013
Outline
Outline

Marine clusters

Government
Context
Priorities University
Players
Science Research
Key Initiatives Industry
Technology
Collaborations
Outcomes
Summary
 Canada: A Maritime Nation
One Country, Three Oceans
Arctic Ocean

Pacific Atlantic
Ocean Ocean
 Ocean S&T Clusters in Canada

National groups:
- Ocean Tech Alliance Canada
- Canadian Consortium of Ocean Research Universities
 Marine clusters in British Columbia
Victoria & Vancouver, BC
Industry
100+ companies mainly on Vancouver Island and in Vancouver area
Seaspan Shipyard multibillion $ ship construction program

Associations
ONC Centre for Enterprise & Engagement
Ocean Initiatives BC
Marine Renewables Canada

University of Victoria
Ocean Networks Canada
NEPTUNE & VENUS cabled observatories
Institute for Coastal and Oceans Research
Ocean Tech Lab and Ocean Tech Test Bed
Canada Research Chair in Deep Ocean Research
Canada Research Chair in Seagoing Physical Oceanography

Bamfield Marine Science Research Centre

University of British Columbia

Ocean Dynamics Lab
Fisheries Centre
Federal Government
Institute of Ocean Sciences (Sidney, Vancouver Island) Large Navy presence
 Marine cluster in Quebec
Rimouski, Quebec

Industry
Technople maritime du Qubec
40 + companies

Academia
Universit du Qubec Rimouski
Institut des sciences de la mer
Universit Laval (Quebec City)
ArcticNet

NGOs
St. Lawrence Global Observatory
CIDCO Development Centre in Ocean Mapping
Ouranos Climate sciences, impact & adaptation (Mtl)

Federal & Provincial Governments

Institut Maurice Lamontagne
Institut maritime du Qubec
 Marine cluster in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Industry
60+ companies
Ocean Tech Council
Irving Shipyard - multi billion$ ship construction program

Academia
Dalhousie University
Ocean Tracking Network
Canada Excellence Research Chair in Ocean S&T
Aquatron
Halifax Marine Research Institute
MEOPAR - national network on Marine Environmental
Prediction & Response
Acadia University
Centre for Estuarine Research

Federal Government
Bedford Institute of Oceanography
Defence Research & Development Atlantic
NRC lab Aquatic & Crop Resource Development
large Navy presence
 Marine cluster in Newfoundland
St. Johns NL
Industry
50+ companies
Oceans Advance Inc.

Memorial University
Canadian Healthy Ocean Network
9 researcher chairs relating to oceans
Autonomous Ocean Systems Lab
Ocean Sciences Centre

Marine Institute
School of Ocean Technology
Ocean Innovation (annual international conference)
Ocean observation demonstration project www.smartbay.ca
Journal of Ocean Technology
Holyrood Marine Base
Centre for Marine Simulation

Federal Government
NRC lab Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering - various tanks for research
 Ocean S & T
Federal Departments & Agencies
Canada Border Services Agency www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Canadian Coast Guard www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca

Canadian Space Agency www.space.gc.ca

Department of Fisheries & Oceans www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Defence Research & Devt Canada www.drdc-rddc.gc.ca

Environment Canada www.ec.gc.ca

Aboriginal Affairs & Northern Devt www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca

National Research Council www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

Natural Resources Canada www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Parks Canada www.pc.gc.ca

Transport Canada www.tc.gc.ca

Government of Canada marine research

a sampling

Ocean Science
Marine ecosystems &
Ocean Technology
habitat
Fish & marine mammal
health
Sustainability of
aquaculture
Ocean weather and
climate
Climate change
Oceanography
Environmental monitoring
& prediction 10
Government of Canada marine research

a sampling

Ocean Technology
Energy (offshore oil &
gas; marine
renewable energy)
Environment
Marine transportation,
ship design & safety
Security

Ice tank, NRC

11
 Government of Canada marine research

Selected laboratories
Bedford Institute of Oceanography (Envt, DFO, DRDC, NRCan Dartmouth, NS)
Canada Centre for Inland Waters (Envt, DFO Burlington, ON)
Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (NRCan Ottawa, ON)
Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis (Envt- Victoria, BC)
Ocean, Coastal & River Engineering labs ( NRC St. Johns, NL & Ottawa, ON)
Centre for Marine Environmental Prediction (Envt, DFO, Dalhousie U Halifax, NS)
Centre for Oil, Gas and Energy Research (DFO- a virtual centre)
Defence R&D Canada Atlantic (DND Dartmouth, NS)
Aquatic & Crop Resource Development lab (NRC Halifax, NS)
Institute of Ocean Sciences (DFO Sidney, BC)
Institut Maurice Lamontagne (DFO Mont Joli, QC)
National Laboratory for Hydrometeorology and Arctic Meteorology (Envt
Edmonton, AB)
Canadian Academia Works Closely with
Government and Ocean R&D Industry
Government labs and facilities

Department of Fisheries and

Oceans
Environment Canada
Natural Resources Canada
Department of National Defense
National Research Council

Ocean industry R&D

Victoria-Vancouver cluster
St. Johns cluster DFO
Quebec cluster
Halifax cluster
Canadian Consortium of Ocean Research Universities

Canadas principal ocean universities

Memorial University (Newfoundland And Labrador)
Dalhousie University (Nova Scotia)
University Of New Brunswick
University Of Prince Edward Island
Laval University (Quebec)
University Of Quebec-Rimouski
University Of Manitoba
University Of British Columbia
University Of Victoria (British Columbia)

Have jointly subsidized an Expert Panel Report from the Council of Canadian
Academies on the future of ocean science in Canada
 40 Priority Research Questions for
Ocean Science in Canada

4 research themes:
Scientific understanding
Monitoring, data & info management
Understanding impacts of human activities
Informing management and governance

Knowledge gaps relating to:

Arctic
Deep water
Marine biodiversity

Currently, a second phase to look at:

Canadas needs & capacities vis--vis major ocean science research
questions

Council of Canadian Academies

 Oceans Research Chairs
Canada Excellence Research Chairs: Highest level each at
$10M + Leveraged funds
Three out of a total of 18 across the country in Oceanography

Professor Marcel Babin (Laval): Remote Sensing of Arctic

Professor Sren Rysgaard (Manitoba): Arctic Geomicrobiology

Professor Doug Wallace (Dalhousie): Ocean Science and Technology

- Approximately 50+ government or industry-funded other oceans-

related research chairs
University Research Infrastructure
Ocean Networks Canada - NEPTUNE Canada and
VENUS (University of Victoria), Canada Foundation
for Innovation (CFI) International

Arctic Research Ship CCGS Amundsen (Laval

University) CFI International

Ocean Tracking Network (Dalhousie University) CFI

International
 Ocean Networks Canada
NEPTUNE and VENUS are the worlds first regional
scale underwater ocean observatories that plug
directly into the Internet.

University of Victoria
 CCGS Amundsen
CCGS Amundsen is a T1200 Class Medium Arctic Icebreaker and Arctic research
ship operated by the Canadian Coast Guard and managed by a Science
Consortium composed of Canadian universities and federal agencies, led by
Universit Laval
 Ocean Tracking Network
The Ocean Tracking Network (OTN)is a $168-million conservation project, which will tag
individual marine species - from fish to birds to polar bears using acoustic telemetry
technology. Animal migrations are correlated to the ocean physical and
biogeochemical environment. The project is led by Dalhousie.
 National University Research Programs
Networks of Centres of Excellence:

ArcticNet (Laval)

MEOPAR (Dalhousie)

Strategic Network:

Canadian Healthy Oceans Network (Memorial)

 Canadas Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE)
to study the changing Arctic

NCEs are unique partnerships among universities, industry, and

governments, that connect research excellence with industrial
know-how and strategic investments.
 Marine Environmental Observation Prediction
and Response (MEOPAR)
Overall vision of MEOPAR: To evaluate, predict and respond
to marine environmental risks and thereby reduce economic
losses, societal hardships and environmental degradation
while optimising economic opportunity.

MEOPAR tightly couples ocean and satellite observations

with advanced ocean-atmosphere numerical models in
order to predict the future state of the ocean on both short
(days-weeks) and long (seasons to decades) time scales.
 Canadian Healthy Oceans Network
The Canadian Healthy Oceans Network, or CHONe (pronounced
Ko-nee), is a strategic network focused on biodiversity science
for the sustainability of Canada's three oceans.
 Transition to Industry
Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR)

Ocean Networks Canada Centre for Enterprise and

Engagement (ONCCEE; Univ. Victoria)
Builds on technology development opportunities from cabled
ocean observatory networks (NEPTUNE Canada and VENUS)

Leading Operational Observations and Knowledge for the

North (LookNorth; Memorial)
Satellite monitoring opportunities and solutions for Northern
resource development
 Canadian High Arctic
Research Station - CHARS
Mission
To increase and apply Canadas knowledge of the Arctic in order to
improve the lives of Northerners, all Canadians, and the world.

Open 2017
In-house technology development program
Collaborative environmental monitoring program
Platform for world class Arctic science
Host Canadian & international researchers
Develop S&T capacity in the North
 Incentive for innovation
Canadian ocean tech companies
Ocean tech sector in Canada dominated by
SMEs
Niche markets, compete globally
Need to continuously innovate to maintain market
position
Often started from spin-off from academia or
government research lab
Innovation strategy often involves collaboration
internationally

Slide 1-1
 Incentive for innovation
Canadian ocean tech companies
Ocean technology companies derive wealth from
the commercialization of intellectual property
and tend to be very active in research
Return on Investment
SMEs expect to get a return on their research
investment in a relatively short period of time (1-3
years)
Both levels of government assist in the innovation and
entrepreneurship process through a variety of tax,
grant, debt, and market access vehicles

Slide 1-1
 R&D collaboration interests
Canadian ocean tech companies
a sampling provided by the Ocean Tech Alliance Canada
Arctic & Harsh Operations
Multi-year on-board data storage (observing systems)
Robust robotics, automation & autonomous systems

Offshore Energy
Hazard monitoring and risk mitigation systems
Sub-sea systems

Marine Transportation and Defence

Next generation intelligent ships
Coastal & port security; monitoring

Ocean Observing, Monitoring & Modelling

Remote sensing
Autonomous measurement platforms

29
 Marine R&D in Canada

In summary
Interdisciplinary approach, and strong links between
Oceanography, Engineering, Biology, Physics,
Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Math/Stats, Law, Marine
Affairs, Environment &Sustainability
Academia, government and industry cooperation
World class research facilities at government and
academic laboratories
Integrated within the global ocean s&t community,
and actively seeking further collaboration.
Canadas ocean environment 31