June 24, 2015<\/p>\n
Some critical words for the federal government despite the announcement that Ottawa, along with the province, is kicking in 4 million dollars for a Marine Emergency Duties Training Centre at Georgian College in Owen Sound.<\/p>\n
The Canadian Ferry Association says they\u2019ve been hounding the feds for years to do something about a looming massive shortage of marine industry workers with more than 70 percent set to retire in the next decade.<\/p>\n
Association CEO Serge Buy says they\u2019re hoping this is just the start.<\/p>\n
Buy says they\u2019re hoping the funding announcement didn\u2019t just come because its an election year and it looks good for M-P Larry Miller to get some funding for his riding.<\/p>\n
He adds however that Miller has been a good advocate for getting the support of his government and has done a good job in securing the funds but he also knows about the level of concern over the marine industry and its looming workers shortage.<\/p>\n
Buy says this is obviously good news for the college but his association feels more needs to be done on a sustained level and not just because its an election year.<\/p>\n
Buy says the shortage is a problem that\u2019s been ignored for years<\/p>\n
Buy admits they\u2019ve been critical of Ottawa\u2019s slow reaction to the looming shortage so the funding for the Marine Emergency Duties facility comes as good news.<\/p>\n
He adds they are disappointed in Ottawa and their overall lack of support for the marine industry.<\/p>\n
The association says there\u2019s not just a shortage of mariners in the commercial shipping and cruise ship sectors; in the private sector they can raise salaries as needed but in the public sector, that\u2019s not quite the case.<\/p>\n
He says cruise ships, for example, can offer 150 to 200 thousand dollars a year but that\u2019s not the case on ferries.<\/p>\n