Plan for new naval vessels building hope among shipbuilders
Posted Jul 15, 2010 07:11:15 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A plan to build new navy supply ships is building optimism in the shipbuilding industry.
With the $2.6 billion announcement the government is hoping for a renewal in the industry.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay was joined by Minister of Public Works Rona Ambrose and Industry Minister Tony Clement at CFB Halifax to make the ‘Made in Canada’ announcement.
“Given the number of ships we’re building, the size of vessels both large and small, and the money that is there earmarked there in the budget,” he says. “We’re back in business.”
MacKay was asked outright how he saw Irving Shipyards fitting into the build plan.
“They have figured prominently in previous procurements in fact, many of the ships that are sailing today were built by Irving Shipyard, so they’re well placed to be competitive in this process, as are other shipyards.”
Carl Risser, President of the Halifax Shipyard CAW Marine Workers Federation, says he hopes it doesn’t take too long to start cutting steel.
“We’ve created a huge amount of momentum in the shipyards today, we have 130 apprentices working in different trades, we have a whole bunch of new trades in there and we’ve got the momentum going.”
However Risser says a potential federal election this fall could scuttle the entire plan.
