London Free Press - Kanter Yachts

November 13, 2009

Good news washes in

A St. Thomas shipbuilder says it will be able to retain employees and, possibly, recall laid-off workers after winning a $360,000 contract to build two hydrographic survey launches for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Signed last month, Kanter Marine's order for the two eight-metre boats was announced Thursday at the Barrie Boulevard shipyard by Elgin-Middlesex-London Tory MP Joe Preston.

Although Kanter may be better known for the marquee luxury yachts it has built for more than 20 years in Port Stanley and St. Thomas, including a 54-foot, million-dollar sailboat currently under construction for a U.S. buyer, the two launches are not the first -- nor largest -- vessels the company has built for the federal government and RCMP.

Nonetheless, Preston said reporters were summoned to the shipyard because yesterday's announcement under Canada's Economic Action Plan, is good news.
Preston said the federal government believes it's important to retain skilled labour and industrial capacity through the current downturn.
"If we are to build for a prosperous future in Canada, it's critical we invest in our local industries."

And Manfred Kanter Jr. said the contracts will keep the builder's eight employees at their jobs through winter.

With design completed and building expected to commence as soon as next week, the two aluminum-hulled, twin-outboard vessels are to be delivered in March, 2010, to replace two aging launches in the Department of Fisheries and Oceans fleet in Dartmouth, N.S.

They will be used to collect data for charts, as well as science for fisheries management.

Under Canada's Economic Action Plan, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard are procuring 60 new boats and are undertaking repair to 40 larger vessels at a cost of $175 million.