Halifax, Victoria shipyards win frigate refit contracts

HALIFAX (The Canadian Press) - The federal government awarded two contracts Monday worth a total of $900 million to shipyards in Halifax and Victoria to maintain and upgrade Canada's 12 frigates - considered the workhorses of the navy.
The contract for the Halifax Shipyards is worth $549 million, while the contract in Victoria is valued at $351 million.
The contracts are the first in a series that are expected to be awarded from $3.1 billion that is being made available for a mid-life refit of the Halifax-class frigates.
"The modernization of the Halifax class frigates ensures the navy maintains its operational capacity well into the future,'' Defence Minister Peter MacKay said in a speech to military officials and shipyard workers on a breezy Halifax waterfront.
"I know that some of you want to see your careers finish here and we want to see a lot more young people starting here both with the navy and in the shipyards.''
The government announced last year that it would spend the $3.1 billion on weapons upgrades, enhanced command-and-control centres, and alterations needed to accommodate the navy's new helicopters.
J.D. Irving, president of the Halifax Shipyards, a division of Irving Shipbuilding Inc., called the contract a major shot in the arm for an industry that's been struggling for some time.
"Shipyards are a critical piece of our infrastructure and we need to make sure that they prosper in this country,'' said Irving.
"There's nothing better than a made-in-Canada policy that keeps our skilled people here and is good for the local economy,'' he added before enthusiastically calling on yard workers to offer up three cheers.