Canada Funds Coast Guard Fleet Renewal Program

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced plans for the construction of up to 18 new Coast Guard ships. Total funding for the 18 large ships is $15.7 billion, which represents early estimates of project budgets including construction, logistics and support, contingency, project management and infrastructure costs. The costs of each ship will be announced following contract negotiations.

Irving Shipbuilding will build two new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships, which will be adapted for the Coast Guard to perform a range of critical missions, including Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization patrols. Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards will build up to 16 multi-purpose vessels to support a variety of missions, including light ice-breaking, environmental response and offshore search and rescue.

Most of the ships currently used by the Canadian Coast Guard are beyond their normal life expectancy, and the government is also investing over $2 billion in vessel life extensions refits and maintenance work at shipyards throughout Canada while the new ships are being built.

To support further shipbuilding, the government intends to select a third shipyard later this year.

The Government will also proceed through a competitive process with the design of a new class of smaller ships, the new Mid-Shore Multi-Mission Ship, which would complement the work of the large fleet in shallow areas and deliver mid-shore science activities.

In addition to funding shipbuilding, the Government of Canada is providing over $351 million to support ongoing Canadian Coast Guard capacity enhancements such as strengthening management oversight and promoting innovation and greener practices.