3 things to know this week

2021 SEAFEST PLANS

Despite the challenges connected with planning events during COVID times, the Yarmouth Seafest committee is rebranding and adding new attractions to the popular festival, which will run from July 14-31 in 2021. President Darryl LeBlanc says when they decided to go ahead with the event last year – while most other festivals in the province cancelled – it proved to be a great learning experience. Last year’s Seafest was spread over five-weeks with several online events being introduced and other events cancelled.

“Some events we could not guarantee social distancing with, so we reduced the number of live events to things that we could do with social distancing effectively. That gave us an opportunity to look at what we have been doing for years and to maybe rebrand,” says LeBlanc. This year’s festival is again looking at being a combination of in-person and online events.

MARINE INNOVATION

Gains are being made in the development of the Marine Centre of Innovation at the NSCC Shelburne Campus. “Our goal is to be the leader in marine innovation for the fishery sector,” says Mary Thompson, principal of the NSCC Shelburne and Burridge campuses. The Municipality of Shelburne is partnering with the NSCC on the Marine Innovation Center and has allocated $50,000 to support the initiative.

The goals of the Fisheries Navigation Simulation Project are to:

• Increase fishing vessel operations and navigation simulation accessibility and flexibility to suit unique learner needs.

• Increase public awareness and promotion of fishing career opportunities to women and Indigenous people.

• Create a safe learning environment, and equitable and inclusive work culture.

• Enhance infrastructure and technology for the fishery and aquaculture sectors.

COVID SUPPORT

Two organizations from the tri-counties are among the 89 funding recipients of the provincial COVID-19 Emergency Support Program for Arts and Culture Organizations. The Yarmouth Arts Regional Council in Yarmouth (Th’YARC) will receive $5,749, while the Electric City/La Nouvelle France Society in Digby County has been awarded $10,000.

The assistance was a one-time, application-based program to help organizations who either receive Communities, Culture and Heritage operating funding or who regularly receive project funding from the department. The province awarded a total of $2.1 million in one-time grants.