The contract, awarded as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, can be extended up to 22 years for a total of up to $552 million. 

A graduation ceremony was held at Irving Shipyard for 20 students who completed the Pathways to Shipbuilding for African Nova Scotians.

Irving Shipbuilding says the decision impacts 1,100 of the 1,800 workers at its locations in the HRM.

This is only the latest in a series of delays for the first vessel, HMCS Harry DeWolfe, which was scheduled to be delivered by the end of March.

Irving Shipbuilding released a statement Tuesday saying the new ship, HMCS Harry DeWolf, will be delivered during the first three months of 2020.

The union questions why the decision was made now after years of putting effort into growing good jobs in the community.

There are more than 17,000 pipe assemblies in a single Arctic and offshore patrol vessel. 

The process to bring in a third shipyard to the National Shipbuilding Strategy is expected to start next month.

Unifor Local 1, the union for the shipyard, says Trevor O'Neil passed away in hospital on Friday night.

Public Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough said the government is reviewing its policies on divulging journalists' names and other personal information to companies with government contracts.