Federal government announces support for National Shipbuilding Strategy in B.C.

The NSS is trying to create jobs across Canada, ensuring that Canada can manufacture the ships the RCN and CCG need.

VANCOUVER — On Aug. 12, Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, and Ernie Klassen, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, visited Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards (VSY) to celebrate the success of the NSS and mark its 15th anniversary.

The NSS is trying to create jobs across Canada, ensuring that Canada can manufacture the ships the RCN and CCG need.

Minister Lightbound commended VSY on its new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed in July of 2025, with Stigterstaal Canada and Algoma Steel. Under the MOU, the 3 companies will evaluate requirements and assess the feasibility of Algoma Steel supplying Class and non-Class steel, with the support of Stigterstaal, to VSY for the polar icebreaker.

The federal government says that the agreement marks a step towards rebuilding a domestic steel supply chain that enhances national industrial capacity while opening doors to long-term economic growth.

For the NSS, fostering partnerships with Canadian suppliers is reportedly an opportunity to maximize the strategy’s potential and deliver stronger national benefits.

“Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Canada is delivering a modern fleet for the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard, while revitalizing the marine industry and creating thousands of skilled jobs. The ships built at Seaspan and other Canadian shipyards reflect a long-term investment in innovation, sovereignty and industrial growth under Canada’s commitment to safeguard our oceans. By strengthening domestic supply chains and prioritizing Canadian-made steel and materials, the strategy is taking another meaningful step forward and will play an even more central role in creating a resilient and prosperous economy,” says Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement.

Source: https://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/manufacturing/federal-government-announces-support-for-national-shipbuilding-strategy-in-b-c-311628/