Both coasts get shipbuilding deal

[Locutus]

A cross-country political dogfight over shipbuilding contracts ended in a win for both coasts Wednesday, as the federal government awarded $33 billion in contracts to drydocks in Halifax and Vancouver and froze out Quebec.

Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax will receive a $25-billion naval vessel building contract, while Seaspan Marine in Vancouver will receive an $8-billion contract for building coast guard and other nonnavy ships.

A third shipyard, Davie Shipyard in Levis, Que., was not chosen by the arm'slength body tasked with awarding the contracts.
The reaction from Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter and British Columbia Premier Christy Clark was immediate and ecstatic.

"We said from the beginning it was the industrial opportunity of a lifetime," Dexter told Postmedia News, "and it feels good to be on the winning side."


Both coasts get shipbuilding deal

 

[TenPenny]

Man, they must be ready to go bananas in Quebec.

 

[DurkaDurka]

Quebec will probably get all hysterical all about this.

 

[taxslave]

Voting right does have payoffs.

 

[Kakato]

Right on.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

C'est un scandale!

 

[Tonington]

Great job for NS and BC. Some infographics from the Globe and Mail:

 

[Ron in Regina]

Halifax, Vancouver win $33-billion in shipbuilding sweepstakes

I haven't been around a whole lot lately, and there might be another
Thread on this already...but if there is, I haven't found it. If someone
can point one out, I'll gladly merge the two Threads.

This isn't exactly new news either at this point, unless you haven't
heard of this yet.

Halifax, Vancouver win $33-billion in shipbuilding sweepstakes

Halifax, Vancouver win $33-billion in shipbuilding sweepstakes - The Globe and Mail

From the LINK above:

Ottawa has awarded three decades of government shipbuilding work to
just two yards – one in Halifax and one in Vancouver– an effort to end
the industry’s boom-and-bust cycle and create centres of expertise
that offer uninterrupted employment for a generation.

The decision leaves Quebec’s Davie Shipyards in the cold, though, as
Atlantic Canadians and British Columbians prepare to embark on the
greatest round of public shipbuilding since the Second World War.

....and....

Irving Shipbuilding’s Halifax Yard wins the right to build $25-billion of
combat vessels, including frigates, destroyers and patrol ships, while
Seaspan Marine’s Vancouver Yard has secured dibs on $8-billion of
non-combat vessels, including the polar-class Diefenbaker icebreaker.

Here's how I see this affecting Western Canada.

We need way more bodies in Saskatchewan. There is no excuse
what so ever for unemployment in this province. Saskatchewan
currently has the lowest rate in Canada, but it could be almost
zero and still we'd need import bodies from elsewhere....& it's
going to get worse.

Soon (like January-Febuary) there will be a huge exoduce from Saskatchewan
and Alberta of people from the Maritimes, creating a larger vacuum where
even more people will be needed to work out here.

In 2014, Canada willl be building Military ships, but the infrastructure for that
will start in a few months (docks, shipyards, etc...needing carpenters and
ironworkers and electricians and so on and so forth). 7 Billion is going to
Vancouver for this, & (I believe) 25 Billion will hit the East Coast. Fort Mac in
Alberta will empty out of Maritimes Trades people, etc...as they know work
will be available closer to their homes. The same with the Upgrader here in
Regina, and others in Western Canada.

Those from the Davies Shipyards in Quebec....there will be work out here, &
the folks from the Maritimes have shown that it can be done (for the right $$$)
in an extended commute idea. Same with anyone else in Canada with skills.

I've heard a rumor that a pile of South Africans are being trained right now in
an effort to replace the Maritimes folks expected to bug out'a Fort Mac, but I'm
wondering how many will last through the winter up there.

Is this old hat to everyone else here on the Forum? I'm just surprized I haven't
stumbled across a Thread about this here already.

 

[Tonington]

Re: Halifax, Vancouver win $33-billion in shipbuilding sweepstakes

Psst...
http://forums.canadiancontent.net/news/102599-both-coasts-get-shipbuilding-deal.html

 

[Ron in Regina]

Re: Halifax, Vancouver win $33-billion in shipbuilding sweepstakes

Psst...
http://forums.canadiancontent.net/news/102599-both-coasts-get-shipbuilding-deal.html

Thank You! I've just Merged the two Threads. :lol:
Figured there'd be more buzz 'bout this here that I would have
stumbled across.

 

[Tonington]

I think you're right Ron, the oil and gas sector will be looking at low rates of retention. Thirty years of good work at home? Hard to say no to that. I guess we'll have to get accustomed to those Albertans whining about someone else now.

 

[VanIsle]

Even Nanaimo gets in on this ship building. The contract for here was announced a couple of weeks later. They are saying it should employ about 100 people with a lot of knowledge of ship bldg. and then the real workers ;-) as well. Won't start for a few more months but they expect to have difficulty finding enough knowledgeable employees. I guess the idea is to lure them back from Alberta.

 

[Ron in Regina]

You're both on the Money, & it's not just the oil&gas industry that'll see the drain.

I know a guy at the Upgrader here in Regina (from New Brunswick) that'll
go home at Christmas, and never have to leave again...as he'll retire in
15-20yrs long before this contract runs out.

 

[VanIsle]

The news calls it "Share The Wealth" and I guess that's why it goes coast to coast. I think it's great.

 

[Ron in Regina]

So....the guys from the East Coast have been filling employment gaps in the
West for.....a long, long time...and that's about to end soon. Any idea's as to
where the fresh bodies might come from?

I can see wages out here in many sectors taking a big jump between this and
the babyboomers retiring out, in order to recruit and retain any with knowledge.
I can see this justifing a fuel price increase, and not just in Western Canada, as
oil companies are pretty scurvy in their justifications.

 

[JLM]

Man, they must be ready to go bananas in Quebec.

Well, they are going to have to realize that the "happenin' place" for ships IS on the coast, not 1000 miles upstream!

 

[Ron in Regina]

Well, they are going to have to realize that the "happenin' place" for ships IS on the coast, not 1000 miles upstream!

But there WILL be work for those folks on both coasts, and through Western
Canada with the vacuum created by others going home to work on the coasts,
if they're willing to come....& I mean LOTS of work...if they want it.

 

[VanIsle]

So....the guys from the East Coast have been filling employment gaps in the
West for.....a long, long time...and that's about to end soon. Any idea's as to
where the fresh bodies might come from?

I can see wages out here in many sectors taking a big jump between this and
the babyboomers retiring out, in order to recruit and retain any with knowledge.
I can see this justifing a fuel price increase, and not just in Western Canada, as
oil companies are pretty scurvy in their justifications.

For several months, Nanaimo has had the "honour" of having the highest un-employed across the province. The hope is to lure workers home from Ft.Mac. During our housing boom a couple of years ago, we had lots of workers from the East coast. Rent in Ft. Mac matches the pay from what I'm told so if people can work at home, even though the pay will be less, I think they will do that on both coasts.

 

[Ron in Regina]

For several months, Nanaimo has had the "honour" of having the highest un-employed across the province. The hope is to lure workers home from Ft.Mac. During our housing boom a couple of years ago, we had lots of workers from the East coast. Rent in Ft. Mac matches the pay from what I'm told so if people can work at home, even though the pay will be less, I think they will do that on both coasts.

These are unionized trades people, so I'm doubting the pay would be
much less, and those living/working away from home are paying a
rent/mortgage at home....and a rent where they're working, along
with utility bills, etc...

 

[JLM]

For several months, Nanaimo has had the "honour" of having the highest un-employed across the province. The hope is to lure workers home from Ft.Mac. During our housing boom a couple of years ago, we had lots of workers from the East coast. Rent in Ft. Mac matches the pay from what I'm told so if people can work at home, even though the pay will be less, I think they will do that on both coasts.

The attached charts indicate close to the opposite....................................
Labour Market Forecast