By Caribbean News Global 
QUEBEC, Canada – Lauak Canada, a subsidiary of French family business Lauak, specializes in manufacturing tubes to transport fuel, water, air and liquids feeding various airplane systems, plans to invest heavily in its Mirabel factory, to make it into an advanced technology aeronautics centre of excellence.
The plant will be equipped with a research office responsible for developing innovative products and processes. Several dozen jobs will be created in Mirabel as the centre of excellence is established.
To complete its project, Lauak Canada plans to expand its factory and acquire Industry 4.0 digital equipment. The Lauak Canada centre of excellence will enable the group to enhance its positioning within North America. The Mirabel centre will in fact be responsible for research and development (R&D) and process improvement.
Mindful of challenges around recruiting specialized labour, Lauak Canada is counting on offering an internal training program to welcome several new workers. More than 20 jobs have already been created since the factory was acquired in September 2018.
The minister of economic development and official languages, the Mélanie Joly, announced $3 million in financial support from the government of Canada to enable the business to acquire equipment for its centre of excellence.
The government of Canada’s mission is to accompany Quebec SMEs and regions into tomorrow’s economy. The aerospace industry plays a key economic role in Quebec and in Canada. By helping Lauak Canada to position itself in North America, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) is boosting job creation here in Quebec.
“We are working with SMEs and their employees to create wealth here in Canada. By helping businesses to equip themselves, we are enabling them to grow and be competitive so they can create good-quality jobs. Thanks to the Government of Canada’s financial support, Lauak Canada can establish its centre of excellence, which will help to strengthen the Greater Montréal aerospace cluster,” said Joly, the minister responsible for CED.
“Our establishment in Canada represents a major step in our group’s development. After 18 months in Mirabel, we are particularly satisfied with our choice. The staff are motivated and competent, the work environment is very favourable and the regional and federal institutions have supported us since Day One. Quebec is an ideal anchor point to conquer new markets and develop our activity in North America,” Mikel Charritton, Co-Manager of Lauak Group.
Meanwhile, the government of Canada has introduced the Innovation Superclusters Initiative, which brings together small, medium-sized and large companies, academic institutions, and not-for-profit organizations to serve as anchors of innovation, growth and job creation across the country.
The Ocean Startup Project is designed to support the development of ocean technology start-ups and increase the industrial use of marine technologies. This innovative project will address talent challenges by growing the ocean workforce and helping new businesses hire employees with the necessary skill sets. In addition, the project will encourage the participation of under-represented groups, such as women and Indigenous people, in this vital economic sector.
“More than half of Canada’s $30-billion ocean economy is anchored in Atlantic Canada as the region’s ocean industries account for more than one in every three ocean-related jobs in the country. This project is a great example of how our government has the backs of local incubators and accelerators that are coming together to strengthen the region’s blue economy start-ups and scale-ups. Atlantic Canada’s history grew from the ocean; its future will be built on it,” noted Joly, the minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).
Navdeep Bains, minister of innovation, science and industry, announced a new project in the Atlantic region to foster the creation and growth of ocean technology companies. The Ocean Supercluster has brought together six partner organizations for this ecosystem development project: Creative Destruction Lab, Genesis, Innovacorp, New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, PEI BioAlliance and Springboard Atlantic.
This project is expected to help revive rural and small communities in the Atlantic region, bringing entrepreneurial opportunities to regions that have, in many cases, been largely driven by traditional ocean industries in the past. With “engage cafés” planned in Corner Brook, Cape Breton, Shippagan and Yarmouth, the project will lay the foundation for game-changing ocean innovation in the region.
“This new project is a clear sign that the Ocean Supercluster is growing momentum and establishing itself as a hotbed for innovation and collaboration. With the longest coastline and the fourth largest ocean territory in the world, this project has the potential to increase the number of ocean-focused startups in Canada, helping companies grow and create new, middle-class jobs,” minister Bains said.
“One of our strongest economic drivers here in St. John’s and in Atlantic Canada is our ocean and marine sector. By supporting accelerator and incubation programs, I see this project helping to bridge the technology gap that has long hampered the ocean economy in areas like offshore oil and gas, shipping and seafood,” Seamus O’Regan, minister of Natural Resources.
“The Ocean Startup Project represents an unprecedented collaboration and investment to grow more ocean companies in Atlantic Canada. This is an incredibly important part of building capacity, expanding our capabilities, and setting ourselves up for success as we embark on what we know will become a $3 trillion global ocean opportunity by 2030,” said Kendra MacDonald, chief executive officer, Ocean Supercluster.
