March 7, 2019
Halifax, Nova Scotia - Ocean observation is important to understanding how our oceans are changing and predicting how our coasts and fisheries are affected by those changes. Increasing the availability and sharing of ocean science and data ensures Canadians can safely navigate through our coastal waters, maintain our coastal economy, and build resilient coastal infrastructure.
Today in Halifax, the Member of Parliament for Halifax and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, Andy Fillmore, on behalf of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced $1.5 million per year in ongoing funding to advance the development of a Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System (CIOOS). It will increase the availability of ocean data to Canadians and will inform science-based decision making on the responsible and efficient use of our ocean environment. The data collected will inform how coastal communities can become more resilient. This initiative is being jointly funded with the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR), which is providing $2 million over 4 years.
Over the next two years, the Government of Canada and MEOPAR will be partnering with the Ocean Frontier Institute, Dalhousie University, the Coastal and Ocean Information Network Atlantic, the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, the Ocean Tracking Network, the St. Lawrence Global Observatory, the Tula Foundation, and Ocean Networks Canada (University of Victoria) to implement the first phase of the system.
The Government of Canada's investment in the Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System will improve coordination and collaboration among the national and international ocean research community. It will promote sharing of data and expertise to support a wide variety of research efforts to better understand, monitor and manage activities in Canada's oceans.
"Our oceans provide so much to our coastal communities and in return it is our responsibility to take care of them. Collaborations such as this with the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network help us better understand of how the oceans are changing and what that means for the way of life for so many Canadian who make their living on the sea. This national ocean observation system will help us determine the next steps we take to protect our oceans for generations to come."
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries and Ocean, and the Canadian Coast Guard
"The Government of Canada investment in the Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System and continued partnership with the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network will ensure we remain at the forefront of ocean observation and honour out commitments made during our G7 Presidency. The data collected from CIOOS will help us predict changes to our oceans, and will inform us of how we can sustainably manage our ocean ecosystems."
Andy Fillmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism
"Access to data from our rapidly changing marine environment is key to making predictions and guiding decisions and operations, for government, fishers, coastal communities, the offshore and shipping industries and individuals alike. We're proud to partner with Fisheries and Oceans Canada in connecting expertise from across the country to assemble ocean-related information collected by diverse organizations and make it available to Canadians."
Doug Wallace, Scientific Director, Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network
Quick facts
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The Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System is a web-based platform that will bring together existing ocean observation data, programs and projects, and provide timely access to a range of ocean information.
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Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network is a federally funded Network of Centres of Excellence that funds research projects, trains ocean researchers and mobilizes scientific knowledge.
