Summary

• Through its Look West strategy, B.C. is launching a new provincewide marine and coastal testbed, the seventh in the Integrated Marketplace program
• The testbed will support B.C. tech companies to test their technology to help strengthen environmental monitoring, vessel optimization, coastal resilience and Canadian sovereignty
• The testbed will provide space for applying new technologies to real-world marine challenge such as cleaning vessels, Indigenous-led salmon monitoring and delivering smarter shore power

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As another step forward in the Look West strategy, innovative B.C. companies can now test and showcase new ways they can support more good jobs in a more productive, efficient and growing marine sector.

“B.C.’s marine sector has deep roots in our province, and by partnering with our cutting-edge tech companies, we can help strengthen Canada’s defence capabilities while creating more good, family-supporting jobs for British Columbians,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth. “By focusing on innovation and local collaboration, we’re ensuring that work to support national defence also drives real benefits for people and businesses here at home. This is our Look West plan in action.”

New testbed for marine technology, innovation

Through the Integrated Marketplace program, delivered by Innovate BC, the Province is launching a marine and coastal testbed to find new ways to solve industry challenges with made-in-B.C. technology.

These challenges include decarbonization, improved efficiency and competitiveness, and better health and safety. Solutions to these challenges will be designed to support innovation that improves environmental monitoring, vessel optimization, coastal resilience and Canadian sovereignty, while helping companies bring new technology to market faster.

The new testbed will focus on technologies related to:

• power supply, offshore and renewable energy
• naval defence
• marine robotics, mobile assets, electrification
• marine vessel optimization
• ocean-observing systems, connectivity
• coastal-resilience tools, solutions
• supply-chain and goods movement

The testbed will provide the real-world environment for tech companies to test, deploy and scale their innovations in the sector, as well as the reference case they need to sell their products and services to industrial buyers worldwide.

Some technologies deployed under this testbed may be considered dual-use technologies, meaning they could be used for both commercial and defence purposes. That will be key to B.C. securing its fair share of federal defence funding and is another way the Province is working to meet its Look West goal of securing 35% of federal defence vessel contracts over 10 years.

“British Columbia is a leader in marine technology innovation, and home to the largest maritime sector in Canada, putting us in a strong position to help local companies succeed and scale in this space,” said Peter Cowan, president and CEO, Innovate BC. “Through this new testbed, we’re creating real-world opportunities for made-in-B.C. solutions to be tested, adopted and deployed with key industry partners. It’s a powerful way to help innovators across the province grow, while strengthening a sector that is vital to our economy and advancing the Province’s Look West strategy.”

The first three projects supported through the new testbed demonstrate how B.C. innovators are applying new technologies to real-world marine challenges.

Cleaner, more efficient vessels

KOTUG Canada, a Metchosin-based company providing oil-tanker escort and oil-spill response services using vessels berthed in Beecher Bay, and SC’IȺNEW First Nation will be working with Offshore Designs to deploy its underwater robotic vessel-cleaning technology. The partnership is made possible through a $290,000 investment through the Integrated Marketplace.

The goal of the project is to provide KOTUG with a cost-effective service that can improve fuel efficiency while reducing underwater noise, which can be harmful to marine life. KOTUG will also be working with Rokir Analysis to deploy instrumentation that will be used to collect relevant project data.

“KOTUG Canada has partnered with the SC’IȺNEW First Nation for long-term charter of spill-response and escort vessels to Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) and Trans Mountain with the mandate to protect the ocean, waterways and food sources of all coastal First Nations communities,” said Rufus Percival, operations manager, KOTUG Canada. “Through the Integrated Marketplace, KOTUG Canada is reducing vessel fuel consumption and underwater noise radiation while enabling local vendors to further innovate their services to study the long-term effects of biofouling reduction on our ships.”

By working through the Integrated Marketplace, the financial risk of testing the technology is reduced, while Offshore Designs can demonstrate its technology for safer, more proactive vessel-cleaning practices and future growth opportunities.

Better data for salmon stewardship

The Lax Kw’alaams First Nation, Ocean Aid and Salmon Vision are partnering on a project that supplements traditional Indigenous-led fishing practices with artificial intelligence to automate an Indigenous-led salmon-population monitoring practice. The collaboration marks the first integration of Ocean Aid’s marine-grade hardware with Salmon Vision’s AI.

The Province has invested more than $360,000 through the Integrated Marketplace in this project, with goals to:

• reduce manual labour
• improve crew safety
• cut emissions
• support sustainable monitoring and selective harvest of salmon

“The Integrated Marketplace is empowering Lax Kw’alaams, Ocean Aid and Salmon Vision to bridge ancestral fish-trap wisdom with AI enumeration,” said Katherine Pollock, senior biologist, Lax Kw'alaams Business Development LP. “This ‘digital weir’ ensures cultural survival through precise, non-invasive salmon management amidst climate uncertainty. By modernizing traditional stewardship, we are transforming B.C.’s fisheries and evolving from extractive models to a data-led future that honours our heritage and protects the Skeena for all.”  

Smarter, safer shore power

Vancouver-based VoltSafe will deploy a smart shore-power solution at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club’s Jericho marina. With $387,000 through the Integrated Marketplace, the project will test the technology’s performance, safety and operational benefits in a live marine environment where electrical safety and limited electrical capacity are key considerations. If proven successful, this technology will help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions for smaller vessels and marinas.

“British Columbia is setting the pace for marine innovation, and programs like the Integrated Marketplace are critical to accelerating real-world deployment,” said Trevor Burgess, CEO and co-founder, VoltSafe. “Through our collaboration with the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (RVYC), this initiative enables VoltSafe to validate next-generation electrification technologies in active coastal environments, alongside forward-thinking partners like RVYC. It’s a powerful model for advancing safety, sustainability and economic growth across B.C.’s marine sector and we’re thrilled to be part of it.”

Getting results

The Integrated Marketplace helps B.C. companies gain real-world reference customers that unlock market opportunities within the province and abroad. Following a successful Integrated Marketplace project with the Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Vancouver-based A&K Robotics has deployed its Cruz Mobility Pods internationally at Madrid-Barajas Airport.

Similarly, Victoria-based MarineLabs has secured contracts with terminal operators along the U.S. Gulf Coast, leveraging testing and validation from its Integrated Marketplace project with Prince Rupert Port Authority.

Part of the Look West strategy

Created by the Government of B.C. in partnership with Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) in 2023, the Integrated Marketplace is delivered by Innovate BC and helps B.C. companies test, deploy and scale their innovations while de-risking technology adoption for partnering industry customers.

This work supports the Province’s Look West strategy for jobs and industry, which outlines B.C.’s vision to deliver jobs and opportunities by strengthening the workforce to develop a more independent economy. The strategy includes delivering major projects quicker, diversifying markets and growing targeted sectors, such as technology, aerospace, marine, AI and quantum, life sciences, agriculture construction innovation, mining and critical minerals.

Quick Facts:

• B.C.’s investment in the Integrated Marketplace includes as much as $41.5 million from the Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth and $11.7 million from the Government of Canada through PacifiCan.
• The Integrated Marketplace is a demand-driven platform to test, deploy and scale made-in-B.C. innovation while de-risking technology adoption for key industries in the province.
• This testbed joins six other testbeds active throughout the province.
• The new testbed supports industries to lower emissions and increase productivity while growing the economy and creating jobs.

Learn More:

• To learn about KOTUG Canada, visit: https://www.kotugcanada.ca/
• Learn about the Lax Kw’alaams First Nation: https://laxkwalaams.ca/
• Learn about Ocean Aid: https://oceanaid.ca/
• Learn about Offshore Designs: https://www.offshoredesigns.ca/
• Learn about the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club: https://www.royalvan.com/
• Learn about Salmon Vision: https://salmonvision.org/
• Learn about VoltSafe: https://voltsafe.com/
• To learn about the Integrated Marketplace, visit: https://www.innovatebc.ca/programs/integrated-marketplace 
• For more information about Innovate BC, visit: https://www.innovatebc.ca/
• To learn more about Look West: Jobs and Prosperity for a Stronger B.C. and Canada, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/LookWest
• To learn more about PacifiCan, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/pacific-economic-development.html 

A backgrounder follows.