Over $4 billion in contracts and investments have been awarded to Nova Scotia-based businesses through the NSS
Nova Scotia-based industrial contractor LamSar Inc. has been awarded a $34.6 million contract by Irving Shipbuilding Inc. to support the construction of Canada’s future River-class destroyer (RCD) fleet, further reinforcing Atlantic Canada’s critical role in rebuilding the country’s shipbuilding industry.
This latest investment highlights the growing impact of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) in Atlantic Canada, where innovative, Canadian-owned companies like LamSar are expanding capacity, creating skilled jobs, and strengthening a resilient domestic supply chain to support Canada’s Navy.
To date, approximately $4,869,900,000 in contracts and investments have been awarded to Nova Scotia-based businesses through the NSS.
Often overlooked, Pictou County has been a cornerstone of Canada’s shipbuilding industry for decades. Through work on programs like the National Shipbuilding Strategy, companies like LamSar Inc. are helping bring skilled tradespeople back home to Atlantic Canada while creating new, high-quality opportunities for local workers.
The River-class destroyers will replace Canada’s Halifax-class frigates and form the backbone of the Royal Canadian Navy’s combat capability. As one of the largest and most complex shipbuilding initiatives in Canada’s history, the program is driving long-term economic growth and industrial development across the country.
Under this specific contract, LamSar Inc. will supply prefabricated pipe spools and custom pipe support manacles for the first three shipsets. These are critical components that ensure the safe and reliable operation of onboard systems. While highly technical, this work represents a significant opportunity for Canadian manufacturing, with all design, fabrication, and quality control carried out domestically in Nova Scotia.
LamSar Inc.’s operations in Pictou County are at the centre of this work, where advanced manufacturing processes, including machining, welding, bending, and pressure testing, are supporting the delivery of precision-built components. By completing this work locally, the company is helping deliver critically needed equipment to the Navy, while also keeping high-value industrial activity in the region and building long-term capability within Canada’s marine sector.
The contract with Irving Shipbuilding Inc. will support a wide range of skilled roles, from engineers and project managers to welders, machinists, and pipefitters. It is also helping attract and retain talent in rural Nova Scotia, including experienced tradespeople returning to the region to participate in long-term, meaningful work. Importantly, this contract will provide LamSar with a valuable to opportunity to actively mentor and train new apprentices in the trades, developing the next generation of shipbuilders.
As the program continues, LamSar Inc. anticipates sustained workforce growth, particularly within its fabrication facilities in Pictou County.
LamSar Inc.’s partnership with Irving Shipbuilding Inc. began on the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) program and has continued to grow as the company expands its role within the NSS. This progression reflects how sustained federal investment is enabling Canadian companies to scale up, invest in innovation, and compete in complex defence projects at home and abroad.
“Programs like the River-class destroyers are critical to building a strong, competitive Canadian supply chain,” said Corey Nathan, President of LamSar Inc. “We’re proud to contribute our capabilities and be part of that long-term vision. This work is about more than fabrication; it’s about creating opportunity in rural Nova Scotia and building the next generation of shipbuilders. That’s something we take a lot of pride in.”
“With a strong presence in Pictou County and a clear commitment to growing Canada’s industrial capabilities, LamSar Inc. represents the kind of innovative, Canadian supplier that is helping drive the success of the National Shipbuilding Strategy,” said Lee Fromson, Vice President, Supply Chain and Quality, Irving Shipbuilding Inc. “This partnership reflects exactly what the NSS is designed to do: build capacity here at home, support skilled trades in communities, and ensure Canadian companies are at the forefront of delivering the next generation of naval vessels.”