Government of Canada announces funding for innovative research to reduce underwater vessel noise

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 18, 2022 /CNW/ - Mitigating the impacts of human activities, including underwater vessel noise, is vital to the protection and recovery of Canada's endangered marine mammals. Protecting our marine environment also ensures that Canada's oceans economy can continue to grow in a sustainable, environmentally responsible way.

Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, announced winners of two Innovative Solutions Canada challenges. Envisioning Labs Inc., Robert Allan Ltd., and BPE Technologies Inc. will receive a total of $449,800 to help develop new technologies to make ships quieter, particularly when they pass through the critical habitat of whales, including the Southern Resident killer whale.

Effectively advancing the protection and recovery of endangered marine mammal species in Canadian waters requires a long-term, collective effort by the Government of Canada and other partners. Innovative solutions such as these are not only critical to ensuring the success of our efforts, but also position Canada on the forefront of new, ground-breaking technologies.  

Quotes

"This funding supports innovative local solutions for the protection of our marine mammals, and for the development of leading-edge technologies. The Innovative Solutions Canada program is one of many ways through which our government continues to find creative solutions in order to protect the biodiversity of our coasts, and endangered species such as the Southern Resident killer whales."

The Honourable Omar Alghabra
Minister of Transport

"Our government will always be there to support entrepreneurs and small businesses with innovative ideas. Investing in the marine environment and the species living in it, is a critical step to give small businesses the opportunity to play a significant part in Canada's oceans economy as we move towards a sustainable greener future."

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

Quick Facts

• Innovative Solutions Canada is a key component of the Government of Canada's Innovation and Skills Plan, a multi-year plan to make Canada a global innovation leader and prepare Canadians to succeed in tomorrow's economy.
• Innovative Solutions Canada is a new program with over $100 million dedicated to supporting the scale up and growth of Canada's innovators and entrepreneurs by having the federal government act as a first customer.  It has released 93 challenges seeking new and novel solutions since the program launched in December 2017.
• Today's recipients won Innovation Solutions Canada challenges in two categories from Transport Canada: the Development of Quiet Depth Finder Technology, and Protecting the Southern Resident killer whale: Reducing Underwater Noise from Escort Tugs.
• Envisioning Labs Inc. will use the funding to create and test a new depth-finder technology that uses light, and not sound, to determine the depth of water for small, recreational vessels. 
• Robert Allan Ltd. will use the funding to implement a quiet propeller and propulsion system in conjunction with an innovative tool to evaluate and predict underwater vessel noise from tugs.
• BPE Technologies Inc. will use the funding to develop a novel retrofit concept that aims to improve the flow of water around the hull, addressing the inefficiencies in tugboat hull shape and reducing underwater vessel noise.

Associated Links

• Innovative Solutions Canada
• $167.4 million Whales Initiative: Protecting the Southern Resident killer whale
• Reducing the threat of contaminants to Southern Resident killer whales
• Backgrounder: The Government of Canada supports three projects to help reduce underwater noise impacts on marine mammals

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SOURCE Transport Canada