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VICTORIA – Part of B.C.’s Look West economic strategy includes a focus on growing the maritime sector.

As such, the government is encouraging technology companies to apply for the COAST (Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies) Innovation Challenge.

According to a release, the challenge is designed to help the maritime industry, including the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy, transition to renewable energy through the province’s Integrated Marketplace platform.

In particular, the challenge is looking for energy generation from renewable sources (wave, tidal, off- and on-shore wind, solar); energy management and storage to increase capacity and resilience; and rapidly deployable, modular and scalable systems.

The challenge will provide successful applicants with:

• up to $100,000 or 50 per cent of eligible project costs if they are successful in the competition; and
• testing and demonstration support from the B.C. Marine Energy and Decarbonization Hub.

The call for applications closes on Dec. 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific time).

“For blue economy entrepreneurs, finding appropriate testing and demonstration sites poses a major challenge on the pathway to commercialization,” said Jason Goldsworthy, executive director of COAST in a statement. “The B.C. Marine Energy and Decarbonization Hub’s inaugural innovation challenge offers a unique program to address these issues by allowing multiple technology providers to demonstrate their innovations directly within and to the communities and industry clientele they aim to serve.”