The BCCTC is very pleased to celebrate today’s formal signing of the Sister-Cities agreement between Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Portsmouth, England. Today’s ceremony follows several years of relationship development fostered by the BCCTC since 2019. A planned visit by Halifax’s Mayor, Mike Savage, in March 2020 was postponed because of the COVID travel ban but, like everyone else since then, the two sides have learned to find opportunities and build networks using virtual tools. The fact that Mayor Savage and the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Hugh Mason, were able to meet in-person for the signing ceremony is indicative of the growth opportunities for the visitor-economy that has been severely hampered by COVID.
"This agreement with Portsmouth builds on the relationships that already exist between the naval bases and universities in both cities and will enable us to explore new economic opportunities together that will generate business, jobs, and growth in both regions," Savage stated in a news release.
In addition to the obvious Naval connections, both cities are committed to environmental sustainability, the development of Oceanology innovation, and clean-tech industries.
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