SmartCity Blog

In Case You Missed It: Oil and gas industry prepares for Shell exploration

By Mike MacKenzie

The prospects for Nova Scotia’s offshore oil and gas industry continue to be promising one week after Shell was awarded a $970m contract to explore four deepwater offshore parcels south of the province. In case you missed it, here are two stories from this past week that focus on the future of the industry and companies who are already positioning themselves to take advantage of exploration opportunities.

A report completed by the Nova Scotia Department of Energy has received industry praise for its comprehensive analysis of the province’s offshore potential. The report, entitled Play Fairway Analysis, estimates that Nova Scotia reserves of offshore oil and natural gas are three-times higher than previously thought, opening the door for further exploration into what could be a substantial opportunity for Nova Scotia’s oil and gas industry.

A 350-page document that took three years to complete, the report includes a level of comprehensive study and analysis that private companies themselves would often undertake before deciding to embark on a project, meaning that the province has removed much of the guesswork and many of the costs associated with exploratory drilling. And while the Department is currently selling its findings to major companies throughout the world, the report was anything but a solo effort: experts from Dalhousie and Saint Mary’s universities, the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board, the Geological Survey of Canada, and the offshore regulator also contributed. Read more about the report and what it could mean for Nova Scotia.

A Dartmouth diving company is already suiting up in anticipation of potential work related to Shell’s contract. Dominion Diving Ltd. has made investments in both training and new equipment that can be used in locations up to 400 metres deep. Company president Matthew Lohnes also announced that the company is sending 15 employees skilled in robotics operation overseas for advanced training. Dominion currently employs 47 people, but Lohnes says that number could easily double if the company is successful in gaining work for Shell during the contract.  Other companies, including Helly Hansen Canada and Cherubini Metal Works Ltd., are also looking ahead to potential spinoffs and opportunities.  Read more about how Nova Scotia's oil and gas industry is positioning itself for success.

That’s what happened this week. So in case you missed it, you’re now in the know.

 

Author: Mike MacKenzie 

Mike is the Communications and Marketing Assistant with Greater Halifax Partnership, currently working as a Bachelor of Public Relations co-op student. A lover of all things communications and strategy related, Mike is often known to spend his free time analyzing the latest-and-greatest PR/advertising campaigns. As a relative newbie to the Halifax scene, he can also be seen strolling the streets of downtown looking for the next cool thing that the city has to offer.

Halifax Impresses Economic Experts

By: David Fleming

Halifax continues to receive positive endorsements from Canada’s economic experts.

On the heels of RBC’s 2013 provincial forecast upgrade (with Halifax being the epicentre of this growth) and Halifax’s unemployment rate dropping to its lowest rate since December 2008, CIBC has ranked Halifax 4^th (up from 7^th) out of 25 cities in its Metropolitan Economic Activity Index. While the city doesn’t lead any of the categories, it has a steady enough performance in all of them to boost its ranking.

In particular, the labour market has improved, boosting employment levels to their highest levels in history. This employment growth has been predominantly full-time work too, as the percentage of total employment that is full-time has crept above 80%. Furthermore, increases in housing starts and MLS sales show that the housing market in Halifax is seeing lots of action.

What is the takeaway from all of this good news? For me, it’s feeling confident about our economy. We saw stable growth throughout the recession, a feat few others can attest to. Now, we’re seeing more and more reasons to be confident in our economic future.

Why is confidence so important? Confidence is the lifeblood of the economy. With it, businesses invest and become more productive and consumers spend more liberally. There are a number of reasons to be confident in Nova Scotia’s short and long-term prospects. From Halifax Shipyard being Canada’s Shipbuilders for the next 30 years, to Shell bidding nearly $1 billion on exploration drilling off of southwest Nova Scotia, there are big things on the horizon. In the short term, the economy continues to grow, our population is on the rise and more people are finding jobs every day...and, in the enduring words of Randy Bachman, “you ain’t seen nothing yet.” 

 

Author: David Fleming

 David is the Junior Economist and Project Development Coordinator at the Greater Halifax Partnership. He studied Economics and Philosophy at the University of Prince Edward Island, and has experience working with private, public and non-profit organizations.

Growth and Innovation in Shipping and Trade - Port Days 2011

Port Days – the Halifax Port Authority’s (HPA) annual business conference – is back again, taking place this year on Wednesday, Sept. 14 and Thursday, Sept. 15.

Port Days offers a great way to bring stakeholders from all areas of the industry together to share ideas and discuss current issues. Our industry has rebounded well from the recession and we need to keep discussing opportunities for growth and innovation to facilitate future development.

The theme for Port Days 2011 is ‘Growth and Innovation’ featuring a variety of business sessions and networking opportunities for individuals and organizations involved in shipping and trade.

On Thursday afternoon, keynote speaker Andy Ellis, Senior Vice-President of Supply Chain and Logistics for Wal-Mart Canada Corp., will speak on the increasingly important topic of environmental sustainability in the retail industry.

Kicking things off Thursday morning are two discussion panel business sessions.

The first business session - moderated by HPA Business Development Manager Patrick Bohan - will look at intriguing cargo growth developments involving technology, infrastructure and entrepreneurship. Panelists include Gordon Neal, Chief Executive Officer of Aqualife North America Inc.; Pat d’Entremont, Partner at Nicom IT Solutions Inc.; and Jeff Brownlie, Finance and Administration Manager, Halifax Grain Elevator Limited.

The second session will examine trends and interrelationships in the industry that may determine what's to come for containerized cargo long term. HPA Vice-President, Commercial Paul DuVoisin, will moderate the discussion with panelists Paul Waite, Vice-President Intermodal, CN;  Tim Harrington,  Vice-President, Sales,  NYK Line (Canada) Inc.’s; and Brad Doell, Vice-President, Supply Chain & Procurement, Nova Scotia Liquor Corp.

With a noteworthy roster of speakers and panelists at this year’s Port Days, this will be an invaluable opportunity to learn, make connections and do some meaningful business.

To learn more or to register go to https://secure.portdays.com/PortDays/Default.aspx.

 

Port Days 2011

 Wednesday September 14, 2011

• Port Days Golf Tournament & BBQ – 7:00 a.m. registration, 8:00 a.m. Shotgun Start at Glen Arbour Golf Course, followed by BBQ Lunch
• Opening Reception - 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Cunard Centre
• Trade Show - takes place Wednesday during Opening Reception and Thursday during Breakfast and Business Sessions at the Cunard Centre

Thursday September 15, 2011

• Chairman's Breakfast, 7:00-8:45 a.m., Cunard Centre. Guest speaker is The Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans as well as The Atlantic Gateway. Remarks from Mark MacDonald, Chair, Halifax Port Authority.

• Business Sessions, 9:00 – 11:45 a.m., Cunard Centre

  • Business Session One:  Cargo Innovation Panel, 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

  • Business Session Two:  Future of Containerization, 10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

• Keynote Luncheon - Speaker: Andy Ellis, Wal-Mart Canada Corp.  Luncheon begins at 12:00 p.m.,  Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Heritage Hall, Halifax, NS

• Terminal Operators' & Stevedores' Reception, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., Cunard Centre

• Lobster Feast Dinner, 7:00 p.m. following Terminal Operators' & Stevedores' Reception

 

Michele Peveril is the Senior Manager, Strategic Relations at the Halifax Port Authority.

 

 

 

Bringing Research to Life

Transforming great ideas and innovations into commercially viable products can be challenging without the right supports, connections and partnerships.    

Recognizing this issue, Atlantic Canadian universities partnered six years ago to create Springboard Atlantic, a strategic network that maximizes the commercial potential of the research coming out of the region’s universities, and also links higher education expertise and facilities with the region’s industries.

Today the successes are evident and Springboard has expanded and evolved to include 19 university and college partners with an increased emphasis on industry collaborations that will bring innovations to the marketplace. Springboard participants include about 50 professionals who have a mix of industrial and research expertise - typically staff or heads of university or college technology /industry liaison offices.

Two local success stories – one from Dalhousie University and the other from St. Mary’s University – demonstrate the Springboard effect.

 

Just-in-time-Support

Dalhousie University’s Measurement of Accuracy when Resin Curing system (MARC) is a good example of Springboard Atlantic’s commercialization mission in action.  

Developed by Dr. Richard Price, a practicing dentist and professor in the Faculty of Dentistry at Dalhousie, and his assistant, Christopher Felix, MARC provides a solution to a problem that has troubled dentists for decades – getting just the right amount of energy from a bright blue UV light to cure and harden filling resin. MARC solves the problem by using custom-designed software to measure the light output, factor in variables like tooth location and the resin type, and calculate the precise output.

Dr. Price knew that MARC could be a very valuable instrument but he didn’t know all the steps to get it into the hands of dental professionals.  He approached Dalhousie University’s Office of Industry Liaison and Innovation, and Director Kevin Dunn was able to mobilize funding quickly from Springboard just in time to produce high-quality prototypes to take to a major U.S. dental conference.  Springboard also supported the formation of a new venture, Blue Light Analytics, to develop and market MARC.

 

Expecting the Unexpected

Retired St. Mary’s University economics professor Andy Harvey, spent over 30 years studying the movements of people in cities.  The Halifax Space-Time Activity Research (STAR) project began in 2005 with Dr. Harvey as the Principle Investigator. It collected data from more than 2,000 households across HRM using GPS technology to learn more about neighborhoods, including the nature, timing and location of the activities of residents.

With ACOA funding received through its Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF) program, the STAR project team developed a complex suite of geographic information systems (GIS) software that had serious commercial potential.  That’s where Nova Scotia-based IT solutions company Britech Information Systems came in.

Britech recognized the potential of STAR right away. With assistance from Springboard Atlantic and St. Mary’s Industry Liaison Office, Britech is packaging STAR as a traffic-flow management system for the trucking and transportation business and is considering other commercial applications. The suite of products is being sold under the brand name Nomad.

The partnership between Saint Mary’s and Britech exemplifies a level of collaboration that benefits both organizations.

 
Springboard’s Strengths and Success Factors

• identifying new ideas and concepts that have real potential as products or services
• making  direct connection between industry and higher education research and facilities
• being at the front end of the innovative process
• working with a number of innovation partners, including the federal research funding councils (NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC), the National Research Council, and Innovacorp
• marketing and licensing technologies to industry and entrepreneurs
• supporting the creation of new companies based on platform technologies

 

Halifax is Canada’s smart city.  We have one of the largest concentrations of universities and colleges in North America and one of the best educated workforces in all of Canada.  This series explores and celebrates the numerous post-secondary assets in Halifax; the sector’s impact on our economy and community; research and commercialization; and partnerships between post-secondary and business.

This post was contributed by Springboard’s Central Office Team in Halifax, located in the InnovaCorp Enterprise Centre, at a new building on the Dalhousie Campus.. For information contact info@springboardatlantic.ca

Our Smart Ocean

Living in Halifax, it’s pretty hard to go a couple days without catching a glimpse of the ocean. Our history and culture are carved from the ocean. Yet there’s much we don’t know about it.

Recently, the Halifax Research Marine Institute (HRMI) was launched. While it’s not a physical building, the institute is a powerhouse of super smart people working in the ocean sector.  The new institute will connect global, national and regional companies with talent, expertise and infrastructure, including world-class facilities like Dalhousie University’s Aquatron Laboratory. 

This is a huge advantage for Halifax because there are several federal research labs, multiple universities and a growing private sector focused on oceans. The HRMI is about building partnerships to expand and attract additional research capacity, inform public policy and help build a stronger, more robust commercial sector in marine products.

That’s how the HRMI will benefit the increasing number of private sector companies who are about to discover even more business opportunities. Companies such as Ocean Nutrition (the world's largest supplier of Omega-3 EPA/DHA ingredients) and Secunda Marine Services who manages a fleet of offshore support vessels servicing oil and gas companies worldwide.

 
The Province of Nova Scotia recognizes this and committed $1.75 million over the next 5 years to the HRMI. Already, oceans activity brings $5 billion in revenue to Nova Scotia, and that number is about to grow. As Martha Crago, Dalhousie University’s Vice President of Research says, “it will help increase exports, grow high value jobs, increase GDP and grow the economy.”

Halifax has one the highest concentrations of PhD’s in marine science in the world. Nova Scotia is home to the largest concentration of oceans researchers in Canada. Since my childhood dream of being an oceanographer will never be realized, I look forward to the innovation and opportunities that lay ahead for the ocean sector.

Watch a visit to Dalhousie's Aquatron Laboratory in a recent episode of SmartCity Business Show.

Maria McGowan is the Internet and Marketing Specialist at Greater Halifax Partnership. She's always on the look out for contributors to this blog. Interested?

 

SmartCity Business Show - Episode 10 in Review

Atlantis Systems Eduplus is a Halifax based company that designs software training programs for military personnel around the world! How cool is that? Craig Layton is right, this isn’t a cheesy flight simulator for the x-box; we’re talking military grade flight simulators! They do everything from simulating grounds crew to pilots. Now, I don’t know much about gaming consoles, planes or 3D animation but I do know this isn’t for your average gamer!

Carl Daniels, Manager of Atlantis Systems Eduplus, recognized the need to keep the company in Halifax. Halifax is home to over 25,000 undergraduate students (me being one of them), so the sky is the limit when it comes to utilizing our resources. It really makes me proud to know Carl see’s Halifax for what it truly is, a smart city!

 

Brianna Colford, Marketing & Communications Co-op Student

Brianna is with the Partnership on a four month work-term. She is in her final semester of Public Relations at Mount Saint Vincent University and spent the past 14 months working with Emera Inc. as a Communications Assistant. Born and raised in Halifax, Brianna enjoys the downtown atmosphere of the city she loves to call home.

 

SmartCity Business Show - Episode 9 in Review

Let’s be serious, who didn’t want to be a marine biologist when they were a kid? The students and staff at the Aquatron Lab in the Life Sciences department of Dalhousie University aren’t exactly working with Flipper, but they’ve got a lot of cool stuff going on. That includes: an artificial reef habitat for all sorts of marine life, a holding facility for seals and squid, and working with the Dal Medical School to study fish from Northern Africa as a model for human health. Right now, there are literally a thousand people doing research there.

Dalhousie University has got an excellent reputation internationally which has a major impact on Halifax’s success as a city. They’ve got impeccable academic programs, historical and modern infrastructure, competitive sports teams, and a world-class marine research facility. But as Fred Morley always says, Halifax’s biggest asset is our people.  Students, professors and researchers are all getting hands on experience in this lab helping us attract and keep talent here in Halifax. 

People want what we have here, especially in our growing research sector. This lab is the lead research facility for aquatic research at large full scale tank testing in North America. John Batt, Manager of the Aquatron Lab, explains that companies from the states, Europe, and Asia are interested in doing research here.

SmartCity? Absolutely.  

 

Maeghan Murphy, Marketing & Communications Co-op Student

Maeghan is with the Partnership on a four month work-term. She is in her third year of Public Relations at Mount Saint Vincent University and had her first taste of the working world on her work-term with Nova Scotia Power this summer. Although she'll always be a Cape Bretoner at heart, Maeghan is happy to now call Halifax her home.

SmartCity Business Show: Episode 8 in Review

During my first few days at GHP, Paul Kent & I were discussing all things Halifax. What’s our story? How do we thrive? How did we come about?

I contributed a few things: the people, the tourism, our sense of community. Without a doubt these are critical to our success, but I had only snapshots of a bigger picture. This is when Paul mentioned the Canadian Navy, parked just down the street from us. After this conversation, it was clear that their impact, from an economic, business, and community standpoint, is rarely completely realized.

The Navy is the heartbeat of our city. It is tightly woven into where we began, where we are, and where we are going.

Halifax has been home to the largest military establishment in the country, the Department of National Defense, for the last 100 years. We are home to the 11,000 people who raised $600,000 for charities last year and brings in over a billion of dollars of economic impact. This is huge! Brian Santarpia, Base Commander Captain, explains, “When you’re in the Navy, you spend at least half of your career in Halifax, if not more. This has become home to every sailor in the Navy.”  These people have established their entire lives here; they are raising families, coaching soccer teams, and enriching our community. This should be a major point of pride for us.

And how cool were those harbour shots? I guess there is a reason we’re called Canada’s Ocean Playground.

 

Maeghan Murphy, Marketing & Communications Co-op Student

Maeghan is with the Partnership on a four month work-term. She is in her third year of Public Relations at Mount Saint Vincent University and had her first taste of the working world on her work-term with Nova Scotia Power this summer. Although she'll always be a Cape Bretoner at heart, Maeghan is happy to now call Halifax her home.

7 Episodes Released & 10 in the Can - It’s Been a Wild Ride For Sure

Since I was asked to be the host of Smart City I’ve experienced many things and learned even more. Ok let’s back up for a second to talk about how an internet comedian went on to host a business show.

For the last two years I’ve been steadily polluting the internet with my off beat brand of humour on my regular comedy show on Haligonia.

But after the original meetings and conversations on the feel of the show:

• three minutes, in and out
• make it cool and hip 
• and, more importantly, make it MAKE sense!

So the ride began…

A business show hosted by a person who knows NOTHING about business, talking to the real movers and shakers of Halifax.  People with so many letters after their names being interviewed by a man (who on a good day) is lucky that he can spell his OWN name. Who would have known that this would become a match made in heaven?

So talking about things I’ve learned and experienced: I’ve toured the farmers market; been mistaken by the crowd as a host on the Food Network; had my brain scanned; took a private boat ride around the Harbour; been dumped in a tank and saw fish from South Africa. And now, I’m writing a blog.

 

So how do you host a show on business when you know nothing about business? It’s actually very easy. We have an amazing producer/director/editor, a fantastic producer, killer research team, and fantastic guests. So the only real job I have is to show up, look pretty and learn about all the interesting things happening in our city.

Not knowing big business, I am like the average guy and I had a perception of what successful people are like. Let me tell you I could not have been more wrong! These executives are fantastic. They have a wicked sense of humour and love to look at the lighter side of being responsible for standing on the front lines of the economic powerhouse that Halifax really is. And don’t kid yourself, It IS! The research, services, goods and money being made here in Halifax and driving our local economy is staggering.

I look forward to the rest of the season, which honestly I can’t say will end, because it seems like for every show we do, two more are added because everyone seems to want to get into the action, because “Halifax, truly is…. A Smart City”.

Click here to watch all episodes of the SmartCity Business Show.

As an artist, Craig Layton continues to grow and explore the use of film and video as a means to generate social commentary with his thought provoking subject matter and unique visual style. To date, he has made ten films holding eight producer credits and has made his directorial debut with his 2003 Award Winning 35mm short “Dress Up”. He can currently be seen on haligonia.ca, with his Award Winning Webshow “CRAIGNESS!” As well as the Host of “SMART CITY – A Halifax Business Show".

SmartCity Business Show: Episode 7 in Review

Okay, okay. So there weren’t any explosions like I’d suggested in my last blog, but Craig did spend six (hmmm) hours testing out a Helly Hansen survival suit in an industrial kiddie pool.

This episode, lucky number seven, reminded me of just how lucky we are here in Halifax. We are located footsteps from the Atlantic Ocean, and have a harbour deep enough to handle pretty much anything we want to import or export.

We also have the talent and expertise here to make clothing and sportswear for world-class sailors, skiers and adventurers. Helly Hansen Canada Ltd., led by President Dan Clarke, employs 125 people at its factory. This means there are no “Helly-bots” doing the work. Real people are doing everything from cutting the fabric, putting in the last zipper, and performing safety and quality tests on every product they make.

This series continues to be an eye-opener for me. It’s great to see how we are capitalizing on our natural assets and talented people to create employment and prosperity in Halifax.

 

Maeghan Murphy, Marketing & Communications Co-op Student

Maeghan is with the Partnership on a four month work-term. She is in her third year of Public Relations at Mount Saint Vincent University and had her first taste of the working world on her work-term with Nova Scotia Power this summer. Although she'll always be a Cape Bretoner at heart, Maeghan is happy to now call Halifax her home.