Our Plans: COASTS

We are keenly aware of the opportunities and challenges in our ever-changing North.
Our Cold Ocean and Arctic Science, Technology and Society, or COASTS, initiative aims to emphasize and enhance our world-leading capability.

Our ongoing plans include:

  • Investing in a new $325 million Core Science Building—which includes 125,000 square feet reserved for industry R&D collaboration.
  • Doubling our Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and the Labrador Institute, and increasing the size of the Marine Institute by a third.
  • We’re increasing our number of research-ready graduate students with the goal of reaching the highest proportion of graduate to undergraduate students in Canada.
  • Over the past five years we’ve invested over $155 million in COASTS projects—one-third coming from industry partners.*
  • Over the next five years another $130 million of COASTS-related investment is expected from industry partners.
  • Making the Marine Institute’s Holyrood Marine Base into “Woods Hole of the North,” specializing in ocean technology and training.
  • Continuing to support our "bridging institutions" in providing support to the innovation ecosystem in NL. For more on Memorial's work in this area, see case studies from the Munk School of International Affairs, on C-CORE and MI.

Recent Highlights:

  • Joining forces with Dalhousie University and the University of Prince Edward Island to create the Ocean Frontier Institute for Safe and Sustainable Ocean Development.
  • Supporting Canada's Ocean Super Cluster in focusing on the sustainable development of the ocean industries in Atlantic Canada and position the region as a world leader.
  • The launch of Signal Hill Campus and the Emera Innovation Exchange, a hub for innovation and public engagement for Newfoundland and Labrador. 
  • Convening a pan-provincial consultation session for DFO's Blue Economy Strategy, including industry, governments, not-for-profits, labour, and other ocean industry stakeholders. This What We Heard documentwas submitted to the federal process.

*Not including funding from Granting Councils