Donna Skelly announces $8.7 million for Heddle Shipyards

Donna Skelly, MPP for Flamborough-Glanbrook, announced Ontario government funding of $8.7 million at Heddle Shipyards in Hamilton for investments in equipment and training.

The funds will be used to train more than 300 Heddle employees in Hamilton, Port Weller and Thunder Bay on cutting edge equipment that includes 3D scanning, robotic welding, and augmented reality training equipment.

The funding announcement is part of the Ontario government's Ontario Shipyard Modernization Project, which will help the province capture federal shipbuilding contracts over the next several decades. Billions of dollars are projected to be spent rebuilding Canada's naval and Coast Guard fleets.

Heddle Shipyards is working in collaboration with local colleges including Mohawk, Niagara College, and Confederation College in Thunder Bay to implement a ship repair and shipbuilding pilot course.

Barry Gray is a Hamilton-based photojournalist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: bgray@thespec.com