Invest in Cape Breton

For many Cape Bretoners, outmigration is a rite of passage. They leave for school, for work opportunities, or just for the adventure of it. We see this as a loss for the island, but what if our so-called "lost" Capers (aka our “diaspora”) are actually an incredible asset that can open doors to investment, mentorship, and new export markets?

In this episode, Sean Meister of Global Bluenosers talks about the community of ambitious Bluenosers he’s building, and how they can help Cape Breton-based businesses go global. Whether you're firmly planted here on the island or a global Cape Bretoner yourself, it’s worth finding out how you can tap into this impressive network.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:20 What Global Bluenosers Does
• 03:27 Defining Diaspora
• 06:22 Why Cape Bretoners Abroad Are an Incredible Asset
• 08:22 How Other Countries Are Leveraging Their Diaspora
• 10:10 Who Global Cape Bretoners Are and How They Give Back
• 15:23 Who Can Benefit From Engaging With the Diaspora
• 17:34 How To Engage with the Network of Global Cape Bretoners
• 18:44 Helping People Go Abroad
• 22:55 Global Bluenosers Membership Options and Benefits
• 27:54 Final Takeaways and Credits

Find out More About Global Bluenosers

• Website: globalbluenosers.ca
• Memberships: globalbluenosers.ca/#Membership
• Podcast: globalbluenosers.ca/#podcast
• Connect with Sean Meister on LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/seanmeister

About the Invest in Cape Breton podcast

Unama'ki-Cape Breton is on the cusp of an economic renaissance. Invest in Cape Breton is a podcast that will challenge your assumptions about the island’s economy through in-depth interviews with local changemakers. We go beyond the headlines to reveal the untapped potential for investors and entrepreneurs, and offer a preview of the island’s coming transformation. Right from the first episode, we’ll show you why there's never been a better time to invest in Cape Breton.

This podcast is an initiative of the Cape Breton Partnership. It is hosted by Michelle Samson and produced by Storied Places Media. The theme music is "Under My Skin" by Elyse Aeryn.

The seafood industry has a long and rich history in Unama'ki - Cape Breton. The island exports an estimated $342 million dollars worth of lobster, snow crab, and other species, much of it processed by the island's eleven active processing facilities. How are tariffs—both real and potential—affecting local seafood exports? How are processors navigating market uncertainty? What are the opportunities hiding in this crisis? In Episode 7 of Invest in Cape Breton, Victoria Co-op Fisheries General Manager Osborne Burke and Louisbourg Seafoods Sales Manager Shaowei Xu lend their insights.

This episode is brought to you by Victoria Co-op Fisheries, seafood harvesters and processors since 1955. Their progressive Cape Breton co-op works with community harvesters to bring the freshest, tastiest seafood to markets all over the world.

• 01:58 Unama'ki - Cape Breton Seafood: Premium and Sustainable
• 04:49 Impact of Chinese Tariffs on Local Seafood Exports
• 07:31 Impact of U.S. Tariff Threats on Canadian Seafood
• 10:27 Strategies for International and Interprovincial Market Diversification
• 19:01 Processing and Packaging Innovations
• 21:31 Challenges in Adopting New Processing Capacity
• 23:03 Labour and Housing Challenges
• 25:35 How Government Could Support the Seafood Industry
• 29:34 Shaowei and Osborne’s Outlooks For the Future of Local Seafood

Find out More About Victoria Co-operative Fisheries

• Victoria Co-operative Fisheries website: victoriafish.com
• Victoria Co-operative Fisheries YouTube: youtube.com/@vcflseafood

Find out More About Louisbourg Seafoods

• Louisbourg Seafoods website: louisbourgseafoods.ca
• Louisbourg Seafoods Facebook: facebook.com/louisbourgseafoods
• Louisbourg Seafoods Instagram: instagram.com/lsbgseafoods

About the Invest in Cape Breton podcast

Unama'ki-Cape Breton is on the cusp of an economic renaissance. Invest in Cape Breton is a podcast that will challenge your assumptions about the island’s economy through in-depth interviews with local changemakers. We go beyond the headlines to reveal the untapped potential for investors and entrepreneurs, and offer a preview of the island’s coming transformation. Right from the first episode, we’ll show you why there's never been a better time to invest in Cape Breton.

This podcast is an initiative of the Cape Breton Partnership. It is hosted by Michelle Samson and produced by Storied Places Media. The theme music is "Under My Skin" by Elyse Aeryn.

With half a million annual visitors contributing over $300 million to the regional GDP, Unama’ki - Cape Breton’s tourism sector is robust, but nowhere near saturated. In this episode, we highlight a tourism investment case study in Cheticamp, the rapid growth of marine tourism, and the emergence of Mi’kmaq tourism. The consensus is that there are lots of opportunities for investors, and that collaborating is the way to go.

• 00:33 Introduction
• 01:38 Cheticamp: A Case Study in Tourism Investment
• 09:06 Housing and Accommodation Projects
• 16:29 Superyacht East Coast: Turning Atlantic Canada into a Marine Destination
• 18:58 Businesses That Can Benefit From Superyachts
• 25:40 How Communities Can Attract Marine Tourism
• 30:40 NSITEN: Developing Authentic Indigenous Tourism Experiences 
• 38:26 Building Trust and Partnerships with Indigenous Communities

Andre Bourgeois is the Project Manager for La Pointe and Le Cap

• Le Cap Hotel
• La Pointe (Cheticamp Island) Facebook group

Adam Langley is the President and CEO of Superyacht East Coast

• Superyacht East Coast website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

Robert Bernard is the Executive Director for the Nova Scotia Indigenous Tourism Enterprise Network (NSITEN)

• NSITEN website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Robert Bernard on LinkedIn
• Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn (KMK)

Other Unama’ki - Cape Breton tourism organizations

• Destination Cape Breton

About the Invest in Cape Breton podcast

Unama'ki-Cape Breton is on the cusp of an economic renaissance. Invest in Cape Breton is a podcast that will challenge your assumptions about the island’s economy through in-depth interviews with local changemakers. We go beyond the headlines to reveal the untapped potential for investors and entrepreneurs, and offer a preview of the island’s coming transformation. Right from the first episode, we’ll show you why there's never been a better time to invest in Cape Breton.

This podcast is an initiative of the Cape Breton Partnership. It is hosted by Michelle Samson and produced by Storied Places Media. The theme music is "Under My Skin" by Elyse Aeryn.  This episode’s special theme song is 'Je m'en fus à sa porte' by Nicolas Boulerice, Olivier Demers, and Cape Breton's own Robert Deveaux. It is provided courtesy of Editions de la Compagnie du Nord  and David Murphy et Cie.

There is a myth in Unama’ki - Cape Breton that the island has a talent shortage. In this episode, we explore how IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) principles can help businesses overcome recruitment challenges by welcoming members of underrepresented communities. The conversation with Robyn Lee Seale from Build Nova Scotia and Nadine Bernard of Indigivisor covers the importance of building relationships, common mistakes, and the vital role of psychological safety.

• 01:32 The Basics of Why Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility are Important
• 04:26 Hidden Workforce Size
• 07:45 Indigenous Workforce Recruitment Challenges and Solutions
• 15:30 Implementing IDEA Example: CBRM Healthcare Redevelopment Project
• 19:28 A Culture Shift Precedent
• 21:02 Common Mistakes
• 25:47 Nadine and Robyn Lee’s Visions for the Future

Nadine Bernard is the Founder and CEO of Indigevisor, an Indigenous inclusion consultancy. Find them on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Robyn Lee Seale is the Diversity and Inclusion Lead at Build Nova Scotia. To connect with underrepresented communities, you can email her at [email protected].

Alternatively, you can reach out to any of the organizations below directly:

• The Band Offices of Eskasoni, Membertou, Potlotek, Wagmatcook, or We’koqma’q.
• Mi’kmaw Economic Benefits Office (MEBO)
• Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn (KMK)
• Veronica Merryfield at the Cape Breton Transgender Network

About the Invest in Cape Breton podcast

Unama'ki-Cape Breton is on the cusp of an economic renaissance. Invest in Cape Breton is a podcast that will challenge your assumptions about the island’s economy through in-depth interviews with local changemakers. We go beyond the headlines to reveal the untapped potential for investors and entrepreneurs, and offer a preview of the island’s coming transformation. Right from the first episode, we’ll show you why there's never been a better time to invest in Cape Breton.

This podcast is an initiative of the Cape Breton Partnership. It is hosted by Michelle Samson and produced by Storied Places Media. The theme music is "Under My Skin" by Elyse Aeryn.

Canada’s housing crisis is dominating the news, but we rarely hear about the work happening behind the scenes to fix it. There are housing advocates, developers, and politicians right here in Unama'ki - Cape Breton who are making tangible progress towards solutions. 

In this episode, guests from the Nova Scotia Association of Realtors (NSAR), Doucet Developments, and By the Bay Properties offer insights on:

• The current state of Cape Breton’s housing market and a prediction for the next five years;
• Why developers might not build, even when demand for housing is high;
• Doucet Developments’ plans for their residential and commercial project on Sydney’s waterfront;
• The development opportunities on Charlotte Street, in Glace Bay, and elsewhere in CBRM;
• How By the Bay Properties is building affordable housing;
• What local governments and stakeholders can do to facilitate more housing development.

Roger Boutilier is the CEO of the Nova Scotia Association of Realtors (NSAR), a member-based organization that represents Realtors across Nova Scotia.

Doug Doucet is the CEO of Doucet Developments, a vertically integrated group of companies that span across real estate development, construction services, property management, leasing, maintenance, and retail and hospitality. Darla Gaudette is responsible for business development for the group of companies.

• Doucet Developments website: doucetdevelopments.ca
• Edgewater website: atedgewater.ca

Bobby Dubeau is the President and Mario Vetro is the Co-Founder of By the Bay Properties, a Vancouver-based company that builds, improves, and manages commercial and residential real estate properties from coast to coast.

• By the Bay website: bythebayproperties.ca
• Affordable housing waitlist: bythebayproperties.ca/waitlist

This episode is sponsored by the Construction Association of Nova Scotia (CANS) and Doucet Developments.

About the Invest in Cape Breton podcast

Unama'ki-Cape Breton is on the cusp of an economic renaissance. Invest in Cape Breton is a podcast that will challenge your assumptions about the island’s economy through in-depth interviews with local changemakers. We go beyond the headlines to reveal the untapped potential for investors and entrepreneurs, and offer a preview of the island’s coming transformation. Right from the first episode, we’ll show you why there's never been a better time to invest in Cape Breton.

This podcast is an initiative of the Cape Breton Partnership. It is hosted by Michelle Samson and produced by Storied Places Media. The theme music is "Under My Skin" by Elyse Aeryn.

Unama’ki-Cape Breton has always been windy, but something has shifted in the last couple years. Now the same wind that blows our patio furniture away is being called ‘world class’ and ‘a nation-building opportunity’. 

Government and corporate leaders are optimistic that the offshore wind and green energy projects already underway in the Strait of Canso are going to be transformative not just for the Strait Area, not just for Unama’ki-Cape Breton, and not just the province of Nova Scotia. This is going to be as big as the railway.

Find more information about the Strait Area and offshore wind at the websites below. For a guide to living, working, and moving to Cape Breton, visit WelcomeToCapeBreton.ca.

• Cape Breton Partnership - Offshore Wind Industry Overview
• Cape Breton Partnership - Point Tupper Heavy Industrial Park
• Cape Breton Partnership - Green Energy Engagement Program
• Strait Area Chamber of Commerce

Amanda Mombourquette is a Co-Chair of the Strait of Canso Offshore Wind Task Force and the Warden of Richmond County. Brenda Chisholm-Beaton is the other Co-Chair of the Strait of Canso Offshore Wind Task Force and the Mayor of the Town of Port Hawkesbury.

• Strait of Canso Offshore Wind Task Force website
• Richmond County website: richmondcounty.ca
• Town of Port Hawkesbury website: townofporthawkesbury.ca

Carlos Martin is the CEO of BlueFloat Energy, an offshore wind developer headquartered in Madrid, Spain.

• Website: bluefloat.com

Peter Murphy is the Contract Manager for Svitzer Canada, a towage and marine services provider in the Strait Area.

• Website: svitzer.com

This episode is sponsored by Bear Head Energy. Bear Head Energy is one of North America's only fully permitted green hydrogen and ammonia sites. They have been working closely with local communities and Mi’kmaq nations for nearly  two decades and look forward to continuing to build relationships and bringing economic benefits to the region. Bear Head Energy is a wholly owned subsidiary of BAES Infrastructure, a diversified energy company focused on developing, constructing, and operating energy transition projects. Learn more and sign up to receive updates at BearHeadEnergy.ca.

About the Invest in Cape Breton podcast

Unama'ki-Cape Breton is on the cusp of an economic renaissance. Invest in Cape Breton is a podcast that will challenge your assumptions about the island’s economy through in-depth interviews with local changemakers. We go beyond the headlines to reveal the untapped potential for investors and entrepreneurs, and offer a preview of the island’s coming transformation. Right from the first episode, we’ll show you why there's never been a better time to invest in Cape Breton.

This podcast is an initiative of the Cape Breton Partnership. It is hosted by Michelle Samson and produced by Storied Places Media. The theme music is "Under My Skin" by Elyse Aeryn.

For many, Sydney Harbour is known for its hotels, cruise ships, and a giant fiddle. But that only blows over the surface of this waterbody that's 16-and-a-half metres deep. There are more cruise passengers, more commercial traffic, more ambitious plans, and more opportunities here than anyone would fathom.

In this episode, three local leaders reveal what’s happening at the Port of Sydney today, why Sydney Harbour is a tremendously strategic site for investors, and why Novaporte’s forthcoming offshore wind marshalling port is an opportunity “so enormous it’s hard to even imagine”. First Nations and settler communities across Unama’ki-Cape Breton are set to be transformed.

Stay up to date by signing up for the Cape Breton Partnership’s mailing list.

This episode’s sponsor is The Cape Breton Regional Municipality Regional Enterprise Network (CBRM REN). The CBRM REN is a collaborative effort between the Province of Nova Scotia, through the Department of Economic Development, the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM), and the Cape Breton Partnership. The CBRM REN’s areas of focus are rooted in the CBRM’s Economic Development Strategy, entitled CBRM Forward, and the priorities of the Province of Nova Scotia including Nova Scotia Loyal, Innovation Driven, Green and Sustainable Business, and Connecting Nova Scotians.

The Port of Sydney Development Corporation supports, promotes and develops Sydney Harbour and related infrastructure with a view of growing the economy of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Marlene Usher is its former CEO (outgoing at the time of recording).

• Website: sydneyport.ca
• Instagram and Facebook: @portofsydney and @shopthefiddle 

Novaporte is a 2,000+ acre deep-water port, logistics, and green energy infrastructure project. It recently announced a concession agreement with Blue Water Shipping to develop a major marshalling hub for offshore wind energy servicing the Northeast Atlantic U.S. and Eastern Canada. Kathleen Yurchesyn is its VP, Operations and Corporate Development.

• Website: novaporte.ca
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/novaporte
• If you’re interested in learning more and/or see an opportunity to work with Novaporte, Kathleen would love to hear from you. Reach her at [email protected]

Eskasoni First Nation is the largest Mi'kmaq community in the world. The Eskasoni Corporate Division’s mandate is to provide investment, business and employment opportunities for the people of Eskasoni. Steve Parsons is the General Manager of the Eskasoni Corporate Division and a Councillor for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

• Website: eskasoni.ca/Home
• Contact Steve at [email protected]

About the Invest in Cape Breton podcast

Unama'ki-Cape Breton is on the cusp of an economic renaissance. Invest in Cape Breton is a podcast that will challenge your assumptions about the island’s economy through in-depth interviews with local changemakers. We go beyond the headlines to reveal the untapped potential for investors and entrepreneurs, and offer a preview of the island’s coming transformation. Right from the first episode, we’ll show you why there's never been a better time to invest in Cape Breton.

This podcast is an initiative of the Cape Breton Partnership. It is hosted by Michelle Samson and produced by Storied Places Media. The theme music is "Under My Skin" by Elyse Aeryn.

There are over 50 tech companies on Unama’ki-Cape Breton, an island of just 140,000 people. Many are in the bustling urban area around Sydney, but a surprising number are in small, picturesque communities. Others live in the cloud, able to be located anywhere, but the founders are here. Three tech leaders explain why this innovation ecosystem is so productive, and so sticky.

This episode is sponsored by the Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT REAP), a dynamic global initiative that engages with communities around the world to strengthen their innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems and transform their economies. MIT REAP translates leading research from MIT expert faculty into practical frameworks, convenes key stakeholders who are focused on innovation and entrepreneurship, and educates regional leaders through team-based interaction to achieve economic and social progress. To learn more about their programs, visit reap.mit.edu.

Chad Munro is the CEO of Halifax Biomedical, an Orthopaedic clinical measurements company and a world leading provider of micro-instability assessment services using very precise proprietary Stereo Orthopaedic Radiography (SOR) imaging technology (HALIFAX exams).

• Website: halifaxbiomedical.com

Darren Gallop is the President and CEO of Carbide, an information security and data privacy platform that helps small to medium size businesses build, implement, and manage their information security and meet data privacy requirements.

• Website: carbidesecure.com
• Darren’s Why I am Still Awake podcast: whyiamstillawake.buzzsprout.com

The Verschuren Centre (VC) for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment is an independent clean technology development and deployment facility. It offers client-tailored services to support companies in developing sustainable solutions that meet industry needs.

• Website: verschurencentre.ca
• Twitter: twitter.com/verschurenctr
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/verschurencentre

About the Invest in Cape Breton podcast

Unama'ki-Cape Breton is on the cusp of an economic renaissance. Invest in Cape Breton is a podcast that will challenge your assumptions about the island’s economy through in-depth interviews with local changemakers. We go beyond the headlines to reveal the untapped potential for investors and entrepreneurs, and offer a preview of the island’s coming transformation. Right from the first episode, we’ll show you why there's never been a better time to invest in Cape Breton.

This podcast is an initiative of the Cape Breton Partnership. It is hosted by Michelle Samson and produced by Storied Places Media. The theme music is "Under My Skin" by Elyse Aeryn.

Unama'ki-Cape Breton is on the cusp of an economic renaissance. Invest in Cape Breton is a podcast that will challenge your assumptions about the island’s economy through in-depth interviews with local changemakers. We go beyond the headlines to reveal the untapped potential for investors and entrepreneurs, and offer a preview of the island’s coming transformation. Right from the first episode, we’ll show you why there's never been a better time to invest in Cape Breton.

This podcast is an initiative of the Cape Breton Partnership. It is hosted by Michelle Samson and produced by Storied Places Media.