A proposal for an electric cargo airship has made it to the second round of a national contest to come up with “the next big thing” that will transform Canada. The brainchild of Dr. Barry Prentice, the proposal pitches the development of a cargo airship transport network that would do for the Canadian North what the railway did for Western Canada 140 years ago.
A proposal for an electric cargo airship has made it to the second round of a national contest to come up with “the next big thing” that will transform Canada. The brainchild of Dr. Barry Prentice, the proposal pitches the development of a cargo airship transport network that would do for the Canadian North what the railway did for Western Canada 140 years ago.
“It’s an idea whose time has come,” says Prentice. “Some remote communities have deplorable living conditions, Canadian sovereignty is threatened by warming Arctic Seas, and ice roads are becoming unreliable because of climate change.”
“A lower cost, year-round mode of transportation is needed,” he insists.
The CanInfra Ideas Contest is an open, public contest that invites “bold, audacious and innovative ideas” that can tackle various challenges facing Canada in the 21st Century. With a top prize of $50K, the CanInfra challenge is looking for transformational projects that will have major economic impact, major impact on the quality of life and societal well-being, and will meet or exceed current or future demands on our resources. Examples of projects of this calibre and vision include the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Trans-Canada Pipeline, and the CPR. The winner of the contest will secure a pitch session with senior government and private sector leaders.
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