Media Releases

Halifax, NS – Dalhousie University is pleased to welcome the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Mr. Andy Fillmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax, to campus today to announce $28.5 million in renewed federal support for the Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response (MEOPAR) Network. MEOPAR, a Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE), is dedicated to strengthening Canadian resilience and economic opportunity in the changing marine environment.

Since its creation in 1989, the NCE program has successfully brought together the best minds in many disciplines and sectors to solve critical issues for Canadians. The program supports large-scale academically led research networks that harness the creativity and inventiveness of Canadian health, natural, and social scientists and engineers.

Today’s investment by the Government of Canada is a testament to the need for additional research, training and knowledge mobilization work in the field of ocean research. MEOPAR collaborates with partners from across Canada on interdisciplinary research that is improving Canadian capacity to observe, predict and respond to a variety of marine risks and hazards.

The grant will be paid over five years, and will allow MEOPAR to continue the ground-breaking research they began with the initial round of funding they received in 2012. This has involved supporting 44 research projects and 21 research core activities at 28 Canadian universities. These projects have included over 70 university faculty members, more than 100 partners from multiple sectors, and provided employment and training opportunities to over 250 students, recent graduates, technicians and other highly qualified people.

MEOPAR will leverage this latest funding to generate an additional $28.5 million in projected cash and in-kind investments from sectors in the academic, NGO, community, industry and government sectors.

Minister Duncan and Mr. Fillmore were joined at today’s announcement by Dr. Mario Pinto, President of the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); Dr. Richard Florizone, Dalhousie University President; Dr. Martha Crago, Vice President Research at Dalhousie; and Dr. Douglas Wallace, Scientific Director of MEOPAR.

Learn more about MEOPAR here<http://meopar.ca/>.


Quotes:

By bringing together partners from academia, industry, government and not-for-profit organizations, these networks are tackling two key issues for Canadians from a variety of angles. In Halifax, these collaborations help ensure that Canadians are protected from ocean hazards. In Kingston, the network helps improve end-of-life care for all Canadians. Innovations made through these two networks will improve the quality of life of all Canadians and help support Canada’s middle class.

– The Honourable Kristy Duncan, Minister of Science

“Fueled by funding from the Networks of Centres of Excellence program, MEOPAR has helped Canada adapt to the changing marine environment. Today’s announcement is a great example of how academia, government, industry and community can collaborate to build Canada’s resilience to ocean hazards and emergencies. With this renewed funding, we look forward to seeing MEOPAR build on its tremendous research, training and knowledge mobilization.”

– B. Mario Pinto, President, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and Chair, Networks of Centres of Excellence Steering Committee

“MEOPAR conducts world class research, providing partners with the knowledge, tools and people that strengthen opportunities and lowers risk in Canada’s marine environment. Through their extensive MEOPeer training program, MEOPAR is helping prepare our undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral students to become expert marine problem solvers.”

– Dr. Richard Florizone, Dalhousie University President

"The renewal of MEOPAR allows us to push even further in harnessing the abilities and creativity of Canada’s Universities, and especially our students and young researchers, to address rapidly changing risks of our marine environment. The risks arise from both human activity and environmental change, and they’re encountered every day by coastal communities, marine industries and mariners all along Canada’s vast coastline and ocean spaces. MEOPAR has developed a strong model for connecting researchers with partners in government, NGOs and communities across Canada in order to deliver knowledge, new technologies and, importantly, trained people. We’re excited by the opportunity to have a major impact on the well-being of Canada.”

– Dr. Douglas Wallace, MEOPAR Scientific Director


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Media Contact
Stefan Leslie
Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response (MEOPAR) Network
Tel: (902) 494-4386
Mobile: (902) 293-4782
Stefan.Leslie@meopar.ca<mailto:Stefan.leslie@meopar.ca>