Ocean Alliance Canada Projects & Programs
Building the Tools, Standards & Pathways to Support the Blue Economy
Ocean Alliance Canada develops and delivers programs alongside our ongoing blue economy programs to create consistent support for the ocean sector. Our ocean career programs are designed to fill gaps and stay responsive to industry and community needs.
Explore Our Programs
OAC Projects
Explore the suite of projects we’re currently working on and read about the impacts from our past projects.
Indigenous Ocean Futures
Community-centered programming designed to support Indigenous participation leadership in the blue economy.
Blue National Occupational Standards (BNOS)
Defined standards and occupational profiles that support skills recognition and sector alignment.
Insights & Publications
Research, Reporting and thought leadership supporting informed decision-making across the blue economy.
Blue Economy Projects
Ocean Alliance Canada advances its work through a combination of flagship programs and funded projects. Our programs provide continued foundational support while funded blue economy projects allow us to test ideas, respond to emerging needs and collaborate with partners in the blue economy.
Current Projects
Indigenous Ocean Futures Project
Timeline: December 2025 – September 2026
Focus: Indigenous leadership, skills and pathways in the ocean sector
The Indigenous Ocean Futures Project supports Indigenous-led participation in the blue economy through co-designed training, career pathways, and community-validated approaches. The project centers Indigenous knowledge, priorities, and leadership while strengthening long-term marine workforce development and economic opportunities connected to ocean industries
Funders & Partners
Recent Projects
Together, these projects reflect the long history of work in the blue economy that led to the development of Ocean Alliance Canada, and how OAC brings partners together to test ideas, build shared tools, and strengthen long-term capacity across the ocean sector.
Scale for Impact: Ocean Pathways Project
Timeline: April 2025 – December 2025
Focus: Building and scaling coordinated ocean career pathways and sector-wide collaboration for marine workforce development
This project built upon the previous work under the Ocean Pathways Project to strengthen career pathways and professional credentials across the ocean sector, while also supporting the establishment of Ocean Alliance Canada (OAC) as a coordinating body. The project advanced the Sustainable Blue Economy Professional (SBEP) designation and brought employers, practitioners and partners together to reduce duplication, improve skills recognition and support a more connected blue economy ecosystem.
Funders & Partners
Ocean Pathways: Certification and Careers for Canada’s Blue Economy
Timeline: April 2024 – December 2024
Focus: Certification, ocean and marine careers and skills recognition
The Ocean Pathways Project advanced national approaches to skills recognition, career progression and professional certification in the blue economy. The project’s main initiative, a skills recognition framework for the ocean sector, directly informed the development of the Sustainable Blue Economy Professional (SBEP) designation. The first pilot cohort of SBEP applicants under this project was instrumental in providing iterative feedback for the SBEP framework.
Funders & Partners
Blue Mentorship and Leadership Pathways
Timeline: April 2022 – July 2023
Focus: Mentorship, leadership and diversity
Delivered mentorship programs, leadership toolkits, and training to strengthen talent pipelines and inclusive leadership across ocean industries.
Funders & Partners
Foundational Work
Timeline: April 2021 – June 2022
Focus: Building shared occupational standards for blue economy careers
This project developed Canada’s first ever National Occupational Standards for sustainability careers in the blue economy, creating a common foundation for skills, competencies and career pathways that later work (including SBEP and OAC programming) could build on.
Funders & Partners
Blue Future Pathways
Timeline: November 2020 – August 2022
Focus: Youth, Indigenous pathways and early career exposure
Connecting youth, including Indigenous youth and those from remote communities, to education, funding and career opportunities in the emerging blue economy.
Funders & Partners