Halifax, NS and Bamfield, BC – The Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR) and the Pacific Marine Science Alliance Society (PMSA) have announced a three-year collaboration to expand ocean research capacity along Canada’s Pacific and Western Arctic coasts.
The $300,000 initiative brings together national and regional expertise to address globally significant research challenges, including climate resilience, marine hazard prediction, and sustainable resource use. The collaboration will also support Indigenous-led stewardship, student mobility, and new international research partnerships.
The collaboration’s long-term goal is to develop a national ocean research collaboration across Canada’s three coasts, and to prepare a new major funding proposal for Pacific and Western Arctic ocean science initiatives. Guided by the stewardship priorities of Indigenous and coastal communities, the project will:
- Build stronger national connections between Canada’s Pacific research institutions and MEOPAR’s national network.
- Expand training and mobility opportunities for students and researchers across the country.
- Develop international research partnerships with Chile, France, and beyond.
- Increase access to ocean research infrastructure across the eastern Pacific Rim and Western Arctic, and data to support informed decision-making.
- Advance climate resilience and coastal community adaptation through new monitoring, prediction, and knowledge mobilization tools.
(Photo from MEOPAR of Bamfeld Marine Sciences Centre)