Ottawa is evaluating two separate sites in Halifax for a brand-new submarine maintenance facility designed to service Canada’s future 12-ship fleet, according to reports.
Leaders at Irving Shipbuilding state that plans to set up this publicly owned, privately contracted facility risk overwhelming an already strained supply of skilled workers. The company asserts the government should coordinate with the shipmaker to ensure new submarines have the required workforce without derailing Canada’s warship production line.
The Globe and Mail reports on a skirmish regarding the projected need for more than 1,000 new skilled workers between Irving Shipbuilding and the proposed new facility. The article notes that this friction underscores an acute structural strain on Canada’s specialized marine work force.
Irving Shipbuilding warns that a private operator entering the local market would pull skilled tradespeople from its existing workforce just as it attempts to scale up for Canada’s $60-billion order. The company states this development could disrupt the workforce needed to build the military's multibillion-dollar surface fleet.
According to Irving Shipbuilding, a private operator entering the local market would pull skilled tradespeople from its existing work force as it attempts to scale up for Canada’s $60-billion order. The text cuts off after mentioning “n,” leaving the specific number of ships in that portion of the statement incomplete.
Chris Wilson-Smith, writing for The Globe and Mail, published the report on a skirmish over the projected need of more than 1,000 new skilled workers between Irving and the new facility. The publication highlights concerns regarding the infrastructure plan’s impact on local labor availability.
Irving Shipbuilding claims that entering into this market would pull skilled tradespeople from its existing work force as it attempts to scale up for Canada’s $60-billion order. The company emphasizes the need for government coordination with the shipmaker regarding workforce requirements.