January 14, 2026
Marnie Bennett never imagined that her work would be so closely tied to the ocean.
Having grown up in Ontario, she was used to living far from the coast. That changed in 1999 when she decided to relocate to Victoria, British Columbia. Prior to starting her first job at Seaspan’s Victoria Shipyards, she had never heard of the company, until a friend mentioned having worked there.
“It was mostly commercial work back then,” explains Marnie. “Fishing vessels and cruise ships accounted for the majority of the work, with peaks and valleys when it came to trying to maintain the workforce.”
Not knowing much about the ship repair industry, Marnie decided to take a chance and apply for a temporary role working at reception.
That was 18 years ago, and since then she has gained a wealth of experience and in-depth knowledge of the marine industry.
For Marnie, this has meant working in a variety of roles, including as a document control clerk onboard a barge. During that time, Victoria Shipyards was supporting the Fleet Maintenance Facility (FMF) in Esquimalt during the Navy’s first Extended Docking Work Period (EDWP) on a Victoria-class submarine.
“It was a small group of highly skilled trades and staff that created the foundation for the future we know today.”
In 2008, Victoria Shipyards signed the Victoria In-Service Support Contract (VISSC), the long-term federal program supporting and maintaining the Navy’s Victoria-class submarines.
Marnie’s career continued to evolve within VISSC, moving from a union position to various staff positions while continuing her education in Business Administration. More recently, she obtained her Commercial and Contract Management Certification (CCMP).
Currently, Marnie is the Principal Contracts Manager for the VISSC program, responsible for maintaining the VISSC and Victoria EDWP subcontracts, as well as all related minor project contracts and subcontractors.
“It’s more than just paperwork. My role is very people-focused and involves managing relationships — for example, acting as a liaison for our internal and external customers, being an active listener and encouraging open dialogue.”
“I think a lot of people don’t know that Seaspan has worked on all four Canadian submarines here at Victoria Shipyards. I have been on three of the four vessels, and every time I am amazed. When I mention I work for the submarine program people get excited. They are interested in what our program and Seaspan is doing to help build the marine industry here in Canada” says Marnie.
Marnie, who’s well known by her colleagues for walking to work each day (rain or shine) and always showing up with a sense of humour, has made a positive impact on the Seaspan community throughout the 18 years she has worked at Victoria Shipyards.
She brings her strong relationship-building skills to everything she does, including her participation in Seaspan’s employee Pride group, where she volunteers at community events like the Victoria Pride Festival.
“Diversity, Equity & Inclusion matter and Seaspan is taking intentional and productive steps to ensure everyone feels safe in the workplace.”
Looking back on her career, Marnie says the best part has been growing alongside the VISSC team.
“I work with amazing people, and we are constantly learning and growing together. VISSC is a dynamic project, and I feel lucky to be a part of such a strong team that is ready to face opportunities head-on and get the job done. The contract is a long-term one, it began in 2008 and the current contract end date is 2027, so many of us have grown up together, shared challenges and a lot of laughs along the way; it’s been really special.”
As work to maintain and modernize Canada’s fleet of submarines continues to progress, Marnie and the dedicated VISSC team are hard at work making sure that Victoria Shipyards is on track to help ensure the operational capacity of the Royal Canadian Navy’s submarines.