Ottawa, Ontario, September 11th, 2025 – The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Canadian Marine Careers Foundation (CMCF), and Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) are pleased to announce the return of the Marine Careers Expo (MCE) this fall. Through September and October, the MCE will visit North Vancouver, Victoria, Windsor, Toronto, and Montreal. Now in its third year, the Expo connects individuals with career opportunities across the marine sector. The MCE provides immersive experiences including vessel tours and face-to-face engagement with industry professionals, to raise awareness and enthusiasm for marine careers. This year’s expansion to Vancouver and Victoria marks the Expo’s first time on the West Coast, inspiring a new generation of marine professionals vital to Canada’s economy and security.

The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), employing over 9,800 sailors and officers including regular force members and reservists, must grow by more than 3,000 personnel to fulfill Canada’s sovereignty and security mandate. The RCN collaborates with the broader marine industry through initiatives like the Marine Careers Expo (MCE) for joint career awareness activities and recruitment events to support this goal.

In addition to the Navy’s labour demand, Canada faces a critical shortage of marine workers, with an estimated 8,300 new hires needed over the next 5 years to maintain current vessel operations nationwide. Demand stems from a combination of retirements and sector growth, putting significant pressure on the workforce required to safely and efficiently operate domestic vessels such as ferries, tug and barges, cargo, and Canadian Coast Guard ships, such as icebreakers and research vessels. Training capacity for key maritime roles currently meets only about 40% of demand, making immediate recruitment and development efforts essential. In addition to vessel roles, there are also a wide range of careers at shore, with the sector currently employing more than 100,000 people across the country.