Content
Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help
Nova Scotia

Membertou turns a problem into a boat-building business

By this fall, Membertou First Nation expects to be building boats for the fishing sector. The band saw a business opportunity when its local fishers needed a new vessel.

'We felt there could be a niche here,' says Chief Terry Paul

Joan Weeks · CBC News ·
The new Membertou boat-building facility in Sydney will create 10 full-time jobs. (submitted by Membertou Corporate)

Membertou First Nation took a problem it faced while buying a fishing vessel and turned it into a business opportunity.

On Friday, the band announced it's opening a $1.5M boat-building facility at the harbour in Sydney, N.S.

"We found out ourselves when we ordered our own fishing boat and it was at least a three-year wait," said Membertou Chief Terry Paul, "so we felt there could be a niche here."

In short order, Membertou started talking to Canadian Maritime Engineering (CME) about a partnership.

"They felt the same way," said Paul, "and they've been in the business for quite awhile. They have the expertise and with that endorsement we went ahead and put plans together to do this."

MP Mark Eyking, left, Membertou Chief Terry Paul, centre, and CME president Tony Kennedy attend Friday's announcement of a $750,000 contribution from ACOA. (Joan Weeks/ CBC)

CME is a national company that has a facility in North Sydney. It was already working with the the band to provide its members with employment opportunities.

Plant can produce a dozen boats per year

Tony Kennedy, CME's president and co-owner, said he expects the plant to turn out a dozen vessels a year. He said the facility is designed to build three boats at the same time.

"Primarily fishing-type vessels," he said, "but again, commercial, you know, work boats, fibreglass hull, up to 40-feet, maybe even beyond the 40-foot. That is a niche market that we see with the three-to-four year backlog."

Indigenous groups get slice of surf clam fishery

The plant will buy fibreglass hulls from Samson Enterprises in Arichat. "It helps them expand their business," said Paul, "and we hope to be able to build boats in Cape Breton that are second to none."

Paul said Membertou crews are fishing lobster, crab, shrimp and ground fish, but the plant is not building vessels solely for Indigenous fisheries.

"The market is large, much larger than the Indigenous community," he said. "Of course there is an [Indigenous] market there but we're open to all the market and we hope to be very competitive."

Membertou's economic success might help

The plant is is expected to employ at least 10 people full time. Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency has contributed $750,000.

Kennedy said design, pre-construction and engineering work have been completed and the plant should be operational by early fall.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joan Weeks

Reporter

Joan Weeks has been a reporter with CBC in Sydney for over a decade. Many of her stories are investigative with a focus on government spending and accountability, as well as health and economic issues important to Cape Breton.

    CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News
    Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|