DND Shipbuilding Contract
 

I was thinking this is a good subject for discussion as it would have a mid/longterm positive impact on the local economy. Seems to me that several thousand good paying jobs over 25 or more years is definitely something to be looking at in terms of how it would affect the city's growth and development. Is anyone else feeling a little drool at the possibility?

I certainly am excited about the prospective of Halifax getting the shipbuilding contract (hopefully the largest one). It would be a monumentous opportunity which would have a major impact on the economic well-being of the entire province.

It is a good time to start such a thread - I don't think that there was one before, since I wanted to post some information a few days ago.

There is a website where people can show their support for Nova Scotia to build the ships. The website has close to 5,400 signatures in support. In order to see the map of people who support the Nova Scotia shipbuilding bid, go to this link http://canadianshipsstarthere.ca/# and either sign, or press the "skip - just show the map" line.

Read more here:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1254511.html

They will probably split the contract - although if Peter McKay has been involved as much as he seems to be (from what it looks like on the news) - it could go either way.

I think the probably decision will be the bigger contract coming here and smaller to BC. But if I were a real daring person, I'd bet we'd win both.

If Halifax won both Nova Scotia would freak out--and declare that day a provincial hoilday! lol

They're already splitting the contract. Two yards, one to get the full ~$25bil warship contract, and the other to get the ~$8bil CCG contract. If the order was further subcontracted out after that would be up to the winning yard. That's the whole raison d'etre for the NSBS. Odds are good that Halifax will get at least one of the contracts - barring petty politics which elevate the Davie shipyards bid above the consideration it deserves (which is very little, beyond the fact that it's located in Quebec which has far more votes than NS). Winning the warship contract could be monumental and a huge boost for Halifax, though even the smaller CCG contract would provide a much welcome economic shot in the arm.

This kind of thing could be a true province builder by bringing people, industry, and most importantly employment into the province, as opposed to the usual purely monetary injection we usually get.

While I hope that Halifax gets both contracts; something tells me it may get the bigger of the two. If you look at things, BC has a much bigger and better economy. Vancouver is attracting people and the real estate market remains strong thanks to foreign investment. The same can't be said for Nova Scotia or Halifax. There was foreign investment in coastal properties (mainly from Germany), but as I understand it that really died off when the economy tanked. So from a demographic and economic stand point I think part of looking at who the contracts are awarded too is the economic impact of getting these contracts. I think you'd have to give NS the win on that end.

Political influence
 

Not to be a party-pooper, and am personally rooting for Hfx. But did anyone think about the political side of things in the last federal election. It seems that the Conservative didn't do well in Nova Scotia.
Thank God the other bids are also from provinces that were not overly supportive.

They didn't do well in Quebec, either, though. BC is the only one of the three provinces in serious contention that saw an appreciable increase in Conservative voting.

That said, as I've said many times in the past, the argument that a region should be punished for not voting a certain way is ridiculous. Parties have to earn their votes, not beat the voters into submission. A good way to earn votes is to prove that you can actually improve the circumstances for a region (as opposed to just buying votes).

B.C. offers shipyard $35m

By The Canadian Press
Tue, Jul 26 - 4:54 AM
NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. —

The B.C. government added shipbuilding to the list of industries its prepared to subsidize Monday.

Pat Bell, minister of jobs, tourism and innovation, announced the government will provide $35 million in training and labour tax credits, if North Vancouver’s Seaspan Shipyards wins a lucrative federal contact to build navy ships and coast guard vessels.

"We have provided tax credits to the film industry that are very similar to what we have announced today," said Bell, following a news conference.

"We’ve had incentives in the oil and gas industry, as well. We just actually announced some innovative clean-energy funds I believe yesterday. So we have a variety of incentives."

Under the announcement, B.C. will also provide $5 million to support the productivity and long-term viability of the broader marine sector.

And BC Ferries is pledging $20 million to improve the capacity of the province’s ship-repair and maintenance industry.

Bell said B.C.’s commitment is important because as part of the procurement process, the federal government will examine what kind of support exists for the shipbuilding industry.

He said training helps provide for that future.

Last week marked the closing date for bids on $35 billion in federal shipbuilding contracts. The first contract, worth about $20 billion, is for 20 large navy warships. The second contract is worth about $8 billion and is for coast guard vessels and supply ships.

The federal government will also spend about $2 billion on other small crafts and repairs.

Irving Shipbuilding Inc., which owns Halifax Shipyard in Nova Scotia, has confirmed it has submitted a bid.

The Davie Yards in Levis, Que., is still waiting to find out whether it can enter the competition.

From the Halifax Herald...
 

Davie Yards can bid


Thu, Jul 28 - 4:56 AM
OTTAWA (CP) — A beleaguered Quebec shipyard will get a crack at a lucrative contract to build the next generation of warships and coast guard vessels.

The federal government has deemed Davie Yards fit to be vying for work that’s worth billions of dollars.

The shipbuilder from Levis, Que., put in its pitch for the work a scant few hours before last week’s deadline.

But because Davie had just been bought by another company, the federal government had to determine if it was eligible to bid.

Link

Great - this is all we need!

We have to keep in mind that the Davie yard is only bidding on the smaller contract for the support ships, whereas Halifax and Vancouver have bid on both. I think the Quebec yard's chances of even winning this are very slim though. Irving and Seaspan put so much time and work into their bids that if Davie were to beat either of them for the contract, I would without a doubt believe that it was a purely political desicion even though we've been told otherwise by the government.

No offense to the Quebec yard, but this desicion should be obvious. The only speculation is whether Irving or Seaspan will win the big one.

from cbc news http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...-campaign.html

Sources Tell Defence Watch That the Winners of National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy Are Set to be Announced Oct. 17

By David Pugliese

Defence Watch

Industry sources tell Defence Watch that the announcement of the winning shipyards for the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy is set – at least at this point – for the week of Oct. 17.

At least one caveat though, sources say. The Prime Minister’s Office still has to sign off on the date so it could be Oct. 17 or shortly after.

But I’ve seen dates slip before. The announcement of the proposed purchase of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was delayed somewhat (a couple of weeks off its original schedule) by news reports of government waste at the G-8/G-20 summit.

Still a mid-to-late October date seems like it could be in the cards.
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Full article: http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2011/09/26/38128/

Ughh! Not long to wait now! I'm anxious about this!!

I bet a ton of development will get underway if this is awarded.

me too , this will be the best boost to the economy here and the surroundig areas post halifax explosion. and I think for sure will spur on alot of :skyscraper: development......:fingerscrossed::fingerscrossed::fingerscrossed:

This contract (if HRM gets one of them) will be a game changer. It won't matter whether it's the bigger or smaller - it will be big. I saw one of my old prof's at SMU the other day and he and I agreed that this could be one of the biggest booms for Halifax since it's founding.

Not sure if anyone posted the link to the support map from the Ship Building Support website - but it's quite impressive.
Map

I hope we get it, and yet..... It is so much money that the various power elites, cliques, special interest groups and old bous won't have to change ANYTHING, we can use the cash to paper over our fundamental, foundational issues as a society and a province.

Oh, fer crissakes... :koko: