Investment for New Boat School Project
The new Boat School taking shape at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic on the Halifax Waterfront will expand opportunities for young Nova Scotians.
The Province of Nova Scotia and Government of Canada (Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program) announced investments on June 20, 2025 in support of this project.
The facility will help the museum meet growing demand for the boatbuilding and watercraft programs it offers to underserved youth. For the past decade, these popular programs have been delivered in small boat sheds at the museum, which is part of the Nova Scotia Museum family.
“The new Boat School will open doors for more young Nova Scotians to learn valuable skills and take part in a proud maritime tradition,” said Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage Minister Dave Ritcey. “Through building boats, these youth are also building confidence and community. We’re proud to support a program that makes this experience inclusive and accessible to the next generation.”
The building, which is currently under construction on the Halifax Waterfront, has been designed with climate-resilient features to help withstand hurricanes and sea-level rise. It will also incorporate energy-efficient features and meet standards set by the Canada Green Building Council. The project also includes upgrades to the wharf and pier.
The Boat School is supported through a mix of public and private funding totalling more than $15 million. The Province invested more than $7 million in the Boat School and provides operational funds through the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage. The federal government provided more than $3.2 million for the new facility. Private donors, through the Canadian Maritime Heritage Foundation, have contributed $3 million to the project and more than $1.6 million to support program delivery.
Quotes:
“The new climate-smart Boat School will be a welcome addition to the Halifax waterfront, providing opportunities to share the traditional maritime skills of boatbuilding and sailing with a wider audience of youth from diverse backgrounds. When we invest in climate-resilient infrastructure, we ensure that what we build is protected now and into the future.”
— Shannon Miedema, Member of Parliament for Halifax, on behalf of Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure
“Our foundation has been inspired for years by the passionate commitment of Maritime Museum leaders and staff to creating a boat school for kids at risk from marginalized communities throughout Nova Scotia. Sharing this boat school dream and its community values with our generous donors has led to an outpouring of financial support for the Boat School’s construction and its programs which has been both breathtaking and humbling.”
— John Hennigar-Shuh, President, Canadian Maritime Heritage Foundation
“The activities that will go on inside the Boat School on the Halifax waterfront include incredible initiatives that highlight inclusivity, diversity and equity while developing hand skills, knowledge and confidence in the participants. Build Nova Scotia is proud to play a key role in bringing this vision to fruition, allowing more people to connect with the water and with our maritime heritage. Specifically, the positive impact on youth – especially those from underrepresented communities and newcomers – will continue to be profound.”
— David Benoit, President and CEO, Build Nova Scotia
Additional Resources:
List of private donors to the Canadian Maritime Heritage Foundation
Boat School construction webcam
Rendering of the Boat School currently under construction on the Halifax Waterfront. Credit: RHAD Architects, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia