Our federal government is delivering a message that the time to grow, compete, and lead on the global stage is now. From the stage of ALL In last week, we heard Ministers speak of the importance that Canadians seize the moment, support Canadian businesses, and take a chance on each other. With the launch of the new Major Projects Office in late August, Government has focused its first round of projects, including the Montreal Port Authority, and a second round of project announcements to come focused on critical mineral development, wind energy, critical infrastructure in the North, ports, and transportation infrastructure connecting Canadians and our goods with the world, as well as innovative carbon capture and storage and carbon management technologies. This, combined with record defence spending commitments, an increased focus on Arctic sovereignty, and three new strategies expected this fall focused on Industrial Defence, Trade Diversification, and Climate Competitiveness, Ottawa is signaling urgency and accelerated action. In order to achieve this, Canada needs future-shaping industries with bold ambition to carry this agenda forward. Few are as ready to deliver as the ocean economy.

With membership now approaching 1,000, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) is one of the largest blue clusters in the world. We have a project portfolio delivering solutions from shipping and scaled ocean energy to sustainable seafood, defence and dual-use technologies, the accelerated development of AI and emerging technologies, knowing the potential to build on this is tremendous. Together with our members and partners, and Canada’s entire ocean community we have a 5X growth ambition for Canada’s ocean economy through Ambition 2035. An ambition that earlier this spring, the Conference Board of Canada found that, if achieved, could deliver $378 billion in total economic benefit and support 1.2 million jobs in Canada. This is a shared ambition with benefits that run deep including creating jobs, growing and scaling more ocean companies, building resilience in communities, and making Canada a global leader in the sustainable ocean economy at a time when it is the ocean economy that is set to outpace the growth of the broader economy by 20 per cent.

Through a platform for the ocean economy called Charting the Course, the OSC has outlined how Canada can lead: accelerating innovation, scaling clean technologies, advancing dual-use and Arctic focused solutions, and expanding Canada’s trade opportunities with global partners through the ocean sector. The alignment with federal priorities is clear. The focus on industrial defence connects directly with Canada’s need for advanced shipbuilding, surveillance, and Arctic capabilities. Trade diversification is tied to ocean economy exports from aquaculture to marine technologies and equipment. And, climate competitiveness from scaling sustainable ocean industries that reduce emissions including marine transport, energy transition, and food security, and creating significant economic value in the process. 

Global competitors aren’t waiting. Norway, Singapore, and the UK are already investing at scale to claim their share of the rapidly growing ocean economy, which has doubled in size five years sooner that expected. If Canada is to lead, we need to prioritize the ocean sector, we need to be bold, and we need to leverage the moment Canada is having and also make it Canada’s ocean moment. That means mobilizing capital, advancing more projects, investing in Indigenous-led innovation, building partnerships that unlock global markets, and actioning existing agreements with purpose with partner countries including Canada’s declaration on Ocean and AI with France.

As Canada’s Ocean Supercluster heads to Ottawa from October 21-23 for our Ocean Week on the Hill, we will share these messages and recommendations, encourage expediency and urgency in approaching them, and through our digital campaign toolkit for members and partners coming soon, we hope you will add volume to this activity.

The moment is ours to seize.

By: Nancy Andrews, Chief Engagement and Communications Officer, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

If you told me a year ago that I’d spend my summer meeting Chiefs, learning about ocean technology, and helping launch initiatives that promote Indigenous-led climate resiliency, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. But that’s exactly where I have ended up, working as the Indigenous Engagement Intern at Canada’s Ocean Supercluster. 

I’m studying Social Justice and Peace Studies, along with Politics and International Relations. My interests have always leaned toward community work, human rights, and equity, so I wasn’t sure if an ocean sector co-op was a perfect match. What I didn’t expect was how much the ocean sector overlaps with everything I care about: environmental justice, Indigenous sovereignty, climate policy, access to technology and intellectual property, and the right to a livable future. It’s easy to see the ocean as distant, but the truth is, what happens in and around it impacts everyone. 

Working at the OSC has helped me realize how the ocean industry isn’t just about science and technology; it’s about people, relationships, and  shaping the future. At the OSC, commitment to Indigenous engagement isn’t just a checkbox; it’s built into programs like the Indigenous Coastal Innovation Challenge, Indigenous Career Pivot Program, and the formation of the Arctic Steering Committee. Being part of those efforts gave me the opportunity to see how partnerships and innovation can come together to support community priorities and long-term resilience. 

One thing that continues to resonate with me, more broadly, is how many voices and perspectives are still missing from these conversations. The ocean economy holds enormous potential, but we will never realize that potential without participation of all. Justice in this sector goes beyond inclusion, it requires making space for diverse ways of knowing, living, and leading. It was incredible to be part of a team that values this commitment to driving equity and collaborative action forward. 

My advice to other students wanting a co-op? Go for it and be open! Consider applying to jobs and co-ops that don’t align perfectly with your vision or long-term career goals. Some of the most meaningful learning happens outside your usual lane. The world is more connected than we think, and there’s space for your values in every sector, even the ones you haven’t considered yet. You don’t need to change who you are to do important work; sometimes your perspective is exactly what’s needed to push a space forward. 

By: Gia Angelopoulos, Indigenous Engagement Intern, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

We often hear people say, “the youth are our future” but in reality, we have a responsibility and opportunity to impact their future in the best way possible.  The time, energy, love and support that we offer to our young people today is our investment in a better future for them and the generations to follow. 

Supporting Indigenous-led youth expeditions and experiences that focus on nurturing the inherent relationship that Indigenous youth have with the land and water is a beautiful, engaging and powerful way to invest in the dreams, goals and hopes of the youth.  There is an indescribable joy that comes from witnessing the look on the face of an Indigenous young person when they realize the love of their lands and waters that they may have never had the opportunity to explore or experience before.  When they are surrounded by Indigenous water protectors, land guardians, deck hands, engineers, scientists, educators, photographers, researchers, writers and more… that’s where the real inspiration and the belief that anything is possible in their own lives hits home for many of these young people.

Miawpukek Horizon Maritime and Mi’kmaq Alsumk Mowimsikik Koqoey Association (MAMKA) are creating these opportunities for Mi’kmaq youth and looking to expand their offerings to other Indigenous youth over time, by opening up space for partners organizations to find our own roles and place in contributing to these experiences for the youth.  As Vice President Learning and Reconciliation at Canadian Geographic I had the privilege of partnering with Miawpukek Horizon and MAMKA in June of 2024 to contribute the learning resources, education and editorial support, along with photography on behalf of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.  We were able to bring in Jacksen Friske, a young Anishinaabeg journalism student who was employed as the summer student on the Canadian Geographic editorial team along with Cree photographer and RCGS Fellow Fred Cattroll to contribute to the programming and the coverage of the incredible vision and initiative of Miawpukek First Nation.  Our time and education resources were what we brought to the table to enhance the rich program that Miawpukek had pulled together including programming contributions from Marine Institute at Memorial University, Ocean Networks Canada, the Audubon Society just to name a few.

This is one example of what authentic reconciliation can look like, Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups, organizations and societies coming together as allies and partners to support Indigenous-led experiences for youth. It’s time for those of us who are non-Indigenous to recognize our place and space in supporting Indigenous youth.  We all have a role, but we need to be diligent in our allyship.  Rather than occupying spaces that are not ours to consume, we can listen to what Indigenous Nations, communities and very importantly youth want to see us contribute.  As Miawpukek Horizon Marine, MAMKA and the Miawpukek First Nation continue to lead the way in their work within ocean, land and water science and career advancement, we all have the opportunity to uplift and highlight their efforts by promoting and supporting Indigenous-led initiatives. This is why the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the Ocean Supercluster, Workplace Warriors and others see such tremendous value in investing in these community-driven opportunities. Join us and find your place in advancing these important experiences and expeditions for Indigenous youth as we do our part for their future.

By: Charlene Bearhead, Vice President, Learning and Reconciliation, Canadian Geographic Enterprises

In 2022, in context of the projected $4 trillion CAD global ocean economy by 2030, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster and our country’s ocean community more broadly developed an ambition for our ocean economy called Ambition 2035. For the past couple of years, we’ve been working together to build awareness and a sense of urgency around this 5X growth potential for Canada. Together, we have reached tens of thousands of people across the country with this message, including business leaders, policymakers, and media. 

We know it’s in our ocean sector where some of the biggest opportunities for growth exist. As members of Canada’s ocean community, we know what 5X growth can mean for workers, companies, communities, market growth and competitiveness, building strategic partnerships and alliances, and developing more made-in-Canada ocean products and services to sell to the world. Now, as Canada is about to start a new chapter, and where priorities will be set to shape our country’s future, prioritizing the ocean economy and our shared message around it has never been more important.

Two weeks ago, we launched a platform for Canada’s ocean economy called Charting the Course to 2035. It is a platform based on the growth potential set out by Ambition 2035 and a sector that is poised to outpace the growth of the broader economy in the years to come. It provides ideas to help address some of the biggest opportunities and challenges we face as a country, build even stronger and diversified global partnerships, and help drive Canada’s economy forward. Charting the Course to 2035 is a tool that is available for you to use in the weeks and months ahead in conversations with decision makers and influencers across the country, and in particular, when asked if you have recommendations to share. If you haven’t already, you can download Charting the Course here.

The sustainable development of our ocean is one of the most important opportunities of our time. Now is the time to be bold and continue to build awareness, support, and momentum on the path to Ambition 2035. There are incredible things happening in Canada’s ocean sector, and you are an important part of that story. Let’s make sure that’s a story that’s being told. Let’s Chart the Course to 2035, together.

By: Nancy Andrews, Chief Engagement and Communications Officer, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster