Research Insights
Reports and Publications
National research that strengthens Canada’s sustainable blue economy.
These reports provide insight into workforce trends, Indigenous leadership, emerging skills, and the systems needed to build a future ready ocean workforce.
Featured Reports
Unlocking Canada’s Blue Workforce (2025)
This national study examines the forces shaping Canada’s ocean workforce and outlines the capabilities needed for long-term sector growth. It highlights priority skills, recruitment and retention challenges, and the structural shifts influencing how workers enter and advance within the blue economy.
The report offers clear, actionable insights for employers, educators and policymakers working to build a resilient, innovation-ready workforce.
Indigenous Participation in Canada’s Ocean Workforce (2025)
This report explores Indigenous participation, leadership and career pathways in the ocean workforce. It reflects community-defined perspectives on meaningful work, examines systemic and structural barriers, and highlights supports that strengthen access, mobility and long-term retention.
The findings point to opportunities for culturally grounded training, community-led workforce models and stronger alignment between Indigenous priorities and national ocean initiatives.
Blue Occupation Pathways: From Vulnerable Jobs to Rapid-Growth Careers
This report analyzes how workers in vulnerable or high-risk occupations can transition into high-growth careers within the sustainable blue economy. Using a skills-matching framework, it identifies feasible and desirable pathways, the training required and the conditions that support successful workforce mobility.
The findings help partners design training programs, reduce barriers and expand access to emerging blue economy opportunities.
Canada’s Sustainable Blue Economy: A Profile of Its Relevant Sectors and Labour Force
A foundational overview of Canada’s sustainable blue economy. This report maps the workforce across major ocean subsectors, identifies in-demand occupations and skills, and highlights the challenges employers face in attracting and retaining talent.
It provides essential baseline insight into STEM skill demand, emerging technologies, workforce demographics and the evolving labour needs that inform national workforce planning.