by Peter Stoffer, MP
BORN AND RAISED in Norway, he emigrated to Canada in 1966 with his Mechanical Engineering degree to start his career in Marine Sales/Service. Within 11 years, he would create Newfound Trading Limited where, as President since 1977, they trade ships, equipment and fish products. NTL played an especially important and significant role in developing the Northern Shrimp Fishery. Steinar would partner as majority shareholder, with a diverse group of businessmen, creating what is now known as Harbour Grace Shrimp Company. Also created Enterprise Offshore/ Clipper Offshore Crewing Services Limited serving fisherman and crewman for the fleet of large offshore fishing vessels. He was also part of developing the Artic Surf Clam fishery, bring- ing one of the first factory trawlers to fish offshore clams in Eastern Canada. Steinar also collaborated and joint ventured with the Nunatsiavut Government creating Pikalujak Fisheries Limited Partnership along with Ocean Prawns Canada Limited.
Norwegian-Canadian Steinar Engeset made his fortune in the seafood industry on Canada’s East Coast.
Engeset spent 24 years as the Honorary Royal Norwegian Consul of Nova Scotia and during that time he tirelessly promoted both Canadian and Norwegian veterans’ issues.
He has helped numerous companies with fishing vessel designs and fishing strategies. His corporations were partners in a number of fishing vessels and currently still partners in two cold storage facilities and has collaborated with the fishing industry to improve and develop technology of fishing methods in Canada. His true passion is developing sustainable high value products for varies seafood species along the Canadian coastline.
Steinar Engeset has truly been a pioneer in the Offshore fishing industry in Atlantic Canada. In1989 he was the Honorary Royal Norwegian Consul of Nova Scotia until retiring from that position in 2013.
In 1992 Owner/President of Labrador Sea Inc. (2004) which has controlling interest and ownership in Harbour Grace Shrimp Co. Ltd. and is a minority shareholder in PiKalujak Fisheries Limited.
Chairman of the Camp Norway Reunion. Committee formed in 1992 to coordinate a commemorative memorial for war veterans who served at Camp Norway in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, during World War II. Also, Chairman of the Camp Norway Financing Committee, which established the Camp Norway Foundation, intended to provide scholarship and support in the field of history surrounding the Camp Norway theme to further promote Can- adian Norwegian heritage across Canada. His Excellency Romeo Leblanc, Governor General of Canada presented a Certificate of Appreciation to the Camp Norway Second World War Memorial & Reunion in 1994 in recognition of a special contribution to the Canada “Remembers Program”. In Aug 17/2011 CNF was transfer to the Canadian Maritime Heritage Foundation at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, NS.
Engeset is the organizer of the annual Convoy Cup Sailing Race from Halifax to Lunenburg.
An avid fisherman, Engeset has no intentions of retiring anytime soon.
From 2002 until present, Steinar is the Chairman of the Convoy Cup Foundation. The foundation’s helps to continue the memory of the courageous men and women who served in the convoys, which consisted of Merchant Navy vessels, Navy vessels, and Air Force coverage. Most of the convoys traversed the North Atlantic to supply England and her Allies with supplies needed from 1939-1945 to carry out the war efforts. We honour the convoy veterans who risked their lives for the peace we enjoy today in the form of Ocean/Basin races and other events, which are held in Canada, Norway and International locations. The first Bamse medallion was awarded to a PSD dog/his handler at the RNSIT in Halifax, Canada on July 7, 2015 and for the first time in Oslo, Norway on May 28, 2016 at the Oslo Military Tattoo and will continue to do so when nominations are put forth.
