Canadian Electric Propulsion Acceleration Coalition (CEPAC) Project

CANADA’S OCEAN SUPERCLUSTER ANNOUNCES $7M PROJECT EXPEDITING THE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF ELECTRIC PROPULSION SYSTEMS

(Ottawa, ON) Today, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) announced the Canadian Electric Propulsion Acceleration Coalition (CEPAC) Project to expedite the development and commercialization of electric propulsion systems through collaboration among marine industry stakeholders. By advancing electric propulsion systems collaboratively, CEPAC boosts Canada’s marine industry competitiveness, establishes a domestic, coast-to-coast supply chain, and fosters job creation.

Led by Photon Marine Canada in Victoria, BC, the CEPAC aims to establish a Canadian electric boat manufacturing supply chain, addressing challenges such as fleet electrification and hull design optimization. The Coalition’s diversity – which includes boat manufacturers, charging infrastructure providers, an electric outboard motor company, and an indigenous deep-water testing facility – ensures technology scalability.

Together with partners in Canada’s Ocean Playground Nova Scotia; BlueGrid, Rosborough Boats, ABCO Industries Inc, and in Beautiful British Columbia; Malahat Solutions, VoltSafe Inc., and Mostar Labs Inc., this project has a total value of more than $7 million. Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is contributing $2.7 million and the balance of funding coming from project partners.

This new OSC project not only delivers significant economic benefit but also contributes to environmental sustainability, reduces reliance on foreign entities, and drives innovation. CEPAC also addresses workforce needs, supporting a diverse, skilled workforce ready to tackle climate challenges. Overall, CEPAC propels Canada towards a greener, more prosperous future.

Quotes

“Our government is excited to support Canada’s Ocean Supercluster as it advances initiatives that promote sustainability while bolstering industry competitiveness and economic growth,” said the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “The Canadian Electric Propulsion Acceleration Coalition project, one of three projects announced today, will help accelerate the development and commercialization of electric propulsion systems in Canada, reducing emissions and supporting innovation in the sector and creating job opportunities for Canadians.”

“The CEPAC Project brings together collaborators from across the ocean sector to advance electric propulsion capabilities, increase Canada’s competitiveness globally, while both contributing to environmental targets, benefits for communities, and economic growth potential under Ambition 2035,” said Kendra MacDonald, CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster. “Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is thrilled to co-invest in this project with the project team which will help increase domestic supply chain and create good jobs.”

“The CEPAC initiative will allow us to accelerate the transition to electric propulsion across key maritime sectors while reducing commercialization risk for the consortium members,” said Marcelino J. Alvarez, CEO of Photon Marine. “Canada’s leadership in maritime decarbonization sets an example for the rest of the world.”

Andrew Boswell, CEO of BlueGrid, noted, “Vessel and energy data plays a major role throughout the design, operations, and commercialization elements of the project. Insights from customers’ existing conventionally powered vessels will be captured and used to inform everything from infrastructure deployment to hull designs, and then the new electric vessel data will be used to optimize performance to charging. This industry-leading use of data accelerates getting hundreds of electric boats in use, and we are thrilled to be a founding partner of CEPAC.”

“Malahat Solutions Inc. is proud to be the testing facility for this project. As a pivotal indigenous testing facility specializing in climate change adaptation and sustainability solutions, we’re eager to contribute to building generational knowledge for climate change mitigation and adaptation” said Allison Dame, Director of Partnerships at Malahat Solutions Inc. “Located within the diverse terrains of the Malahat Eco-Industrial Park, our partnership with the Malahat Nation allows us to integrate traditional ecological knowledge with cutting-edge technology. This unique collaboration enhances our ability to create and evaluate innovative solutions, driving meaningful impact and long-term climate adaptability for Indigenous communities and beyond.”

“In order to deliver on the demands of the commercial customer, safe, reliable charging infrastructure is critical. VoltSafe’s innovative technology ensures safe and efficient energy transfer, eliminating risks and enhancing energy management,” said Co-Founder & CEO of VoltSafe, Trevor Burgess. “VoltSafe is excited to be part of CEPAC, bringing our disruptive shore power solution forward as a key contributor in this proactive coalition of outstanding Canadian companies. We’re partnering together to achieve transformative growth in a sustainable blue economy.”

“This program will allow us to demonstrate the viability of electric propulsion to our Professional Marine Operators in Canada and abroad,” said Heaton Rosborough of Rosborough Boats. “It gives us a platform to scale our existing electric vessel program,” noted Colin Ross of ABCO Boats.

About Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster accelerates the development and commercialization of made-in-Canada ocean solutions in energy transition, food security, future of transport, and climate change while also growing more companies, creating more jobs, and attracting ocean talent. As Canada’s national ocean cluster, the OSC is a convenor of members, partners, and networks and a catalyst for transformative growth that helps build the robust ecosystem needed to help realize Ambition 2035 – a 5X growth potential in ocean in Canada by 2035. To date, the OSC has approved close to 100 projects which will deliver more than 220 new made-in-Canada ocean products, processes, and services to sell to the world. For more information visit oceansupercluster.ca

Media Contacts:
Nancy Andrews
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
nancy.andrews@oceansupercluster.ca