Mother's Day is extra special for this boat building team

Joyce and Anita Cottreau spend every day working side by side on the floor of the bustling Wedgeport Boats yard in southwest Nova Scotia.

A female fibreglass team is a rarity in itself, but thisduo isalso mother and daughter.

"Working together has brought us closer together," Joyce, 59, said.

The two plan to spendMother's Day together,whichthey saywill be no less special for being workmates.

"Mom has always been there for me, even though she has worked full time since I wasa baby," Anita said.

"Anything I needed or wanted, she's bentover backwards for me, so I definitely have to appreciate that and still do."

'I love my daughter'

Joyce started working at Wedgeport Boats 30 years ago when Anita was just threemonths old. Joyce has been the bread winner in her family since a disability sidelined her husband.

"I love my daughter. I love my son. I love my husband," she said.

Daughter joins mom

Tired of part time and seasonal work, Anita submitted a resume to the boatyard three years agoafter her mother mentioned the yard had recently hired a new employee. Anita was hired before Joyce knew she had applied.

"When I first started, they didn't want to put us together because they didn't know how we would work.They didn't think we would get along," said Anita, who is alsotrained cosmetologist.

Share 'heavy lifting'

Those fears proved ill-founded. Mom and daughter share the burdens in the mostly male yard that employs around 35.

"It'sdefinitely a man's world here, but we help each other especially when it comes to the heavy lifting," saidAnita.

"The guys help out," Joycesaid.

"We are treated pretty much like one of the guys and that'spretty much the way that we like it."

'Inspiring work'

Both are proud of the boat yard, which has a full order book for the ever-larger fishing vessels dominating the area's lucrative lobster fishery, as well asa variety of smaller boats which are sold acrossCanada.

• How to pick the perfect plant for mom this Mother's Day

Clad in overalls and steel toed boots, the twomove easily among the air pumps, spools, hosesand nozzles that spray the fibreglass used to build the hulls.

"It's really inspiring the work that we do," said Anita.

Never tireof each other

Working in close quarters might not work for some family members, but the Cottreausshrug that off, saying they have always had a strong mother-daughter relationship. They are neighbours in the tiny Acadian coastal community.

"We never get tired of seeing each other," saidJoyce.

"Some people will probably get tired seeing their parents every day and working with them everyday,but we don't," Anita added.

They're not the only family members in the business.Joyce's sister andbrother-in-law also work at WedgeportBoats.

• Alberta woman collects Mother's Day flowers for Fort McMurray moms
• Atlantic Voice:Mother's Day emotional for adopted families