By Mark Squibb
Holyrood Bay may become a testing site for military technology.
Council recently applied for $150,000 in federal funding to support research and development in the defense sector.
During council’s April 7 public meeting, Deputy Mayor Michele Woodford said the Town has received a positive initial response from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), an arm of the federal government, and was awaiting a response from the Province.
Councillor Bruce King noted that military base 5 Wing Goose Bay recently received some $8 billion in federal funding for improvements, and that other defense organizations across Atlantic Canada have also received funding.
“There’s money out there for defense related projects and research,” said King. “And the Marine Institute is probably located in one of the best places around to do anything related to the ocean and underwater technology, drones, you name it. You got a harbour there free of ice. It’s calm. You know, it’s the perfect place to do any type of research related to the ocean. It’s there, and all anybody has to do is set up shop and start.”
Holyrood already boasts one of two NATO DIANA (Defence Innovator Accelerator for the North Atlantic) sites in the province at the Marine Institute. The second, the Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering (OCRE) Research Centre is a joint operation between St. John’s and Ottawa.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s defense strategy aims to increase the amount of military and defense spending done “in house” in a bid to reduce reliance on international partners.
