DARTMOUTH, NS, May 13, 2024
/CNW/ - The Government of Canada
supports stronger and more collaborative federal science, to ensure
scientists and researchers have access to the world-class
facilities and tools they need to achieve scientific excellence and
innovation.
Today Darren Fisher, Member of
Parliament for Dartmouth Cole Harbour, on behalf of the Honourable
Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian
Coast Guard, joined by Assistant Deputy Minister for Defence
Research and Development Canada, Dr. Jaspinder Komal, officially opened the Facility
for Intelligent Marine Systems (FIMS). Renovations to the building
that houses FIMS took place over four years, with a total project
investment of almost $25 million.
Located on the campus of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography
(BIO), Canada's largest ocean
research facility, FIMS is a collaboration between Fisheries and
Oceans Canada (DFO), the Department of National Defence (DND) and
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). Scientists and researchers from
DFO, DND and NRCan working out of FIMS are pursuing ocean
research using state-of-the-art uncrewed surface and underwater
data collection platforms.
FIMS is co-located with the DFO Fish Lab, in a fully renovated
building that is on track to achieve Green Globes Building
Certification. Green Globes evaluates the environmental
sustainability, health and wellness and resilience of commercial
buildings and portfolios. During the renovation, a 100-kilowatt
solar panel system was installed on the roof of the building, which
is tied into the larger solar grid for the BIO Campus. The building
is also now being heated and cooled with new air handling systems
and the campus' seawater heat pump system. It is estimated that the
renovations have reduced greenhouse gas emissions for the building
by an estimated 75 per cent.
Quotes
"Fisheries and Oceans Canada is a world-leader in ocean science.
With the official opening of the Facility for Intelligent Marine
Systems we are expanding our ocean research capacity through
state-of-the-art equipment. This will also allow for greater
collaboration between our scientists and researchers, along with
those from Natural Resources Canada and the Department of National
Defence."
The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries,
Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
"Outstanding work in ocean science takes place at the Bedford
Institute for Oceanography in Dartmouth, and the Facility for Intelligent
Marine Systems is a testament to that incredible work. We're
investing in cutting-edge technology and equipment to empower and
enable Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientists to explore new parts
of the ocean and further scientific discoveries."
Darren Fisher, Member of
Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole
Harbour
"Through Our North, Strong and Free, we have made clear
that our most important job is to protect Canadian sovereignty,
especially in our Arctic region. This new facility will provide our
defence scientists with state-of-the-art laboratories and
equipment, boosting their ability to develop innovative solutions
in support of our Arctic sovereignty. Through this investment and
our defence policy update, we are taking action to protect our
North from new and emerging security challenges."
The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National
Defence
"This investment in the Bedford Institute of Oceanography
reflects our commitment to ensuring that Canada remains at the forefront of research
and innovation. By making our facilities greener, we
continue to demonstrate our strong commitment to increasing the
climate-resilience of our assets and reducing our greenhouse gas
emissions."
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services
and Procurement
Quick Facts
- The Facility for Intelligent Marine Systems can accommodate 45
to 50 researchers and employees from DFO, NRCan and DND's science
and technology organization, Defence Research and Development
Canada.
- FIMS is the first collaborative science facility of its kind on
Canada's East Coast.
Associated Links
- Underwater detection
- Bedford Institute of Oceanography
- Canada's NORAD Modernization
Plan
Stay Connected
- Follow Fisheries and Oceans Canada on X, Facebook, Instagram,
YouTube and LinkedIn.
- Follow the Canadian Coast Guard on X, Facebook, Instagram,
YouTube and LinkedIn.
- Follow Defence Research and Development Canada on Twitter and
LinkedIn.
SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maritimes Region