PART 1 - FOREWORD

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ADVANCE NOTICES

In order that mariners may have advance knowledge of proposed changes to existing facilities to be provided, additions, deletions and changes to such facilities under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Coast Guard are listed hereunder. Effective dates of changes and dates for the commissioning of new facilities are, however, extremely hard to forecast owing to difficulties in obtaining materials and subject to provision of necessary funds. Every effort will be made to amend dates as far in advance as possible. In every case of changes to facilities and commissioning of new facilities, an appropriate Notice to Mariners will be issued.

1. → Consolidation of the Inuvik and Iqaluit MCTS Centres

The Canadian Coast Guard will permanently close the Inuvik MCTS Centre at the end of the 2012 Arctic navigation season. Commencing with the 2013 Arctic navigation season, all services will be provided remotely by Iqaluit MCTS Centre.

2. Northern Canada Vessel Traffic Services (NORDREG) Zone

As of July 1, 2010, the Northern Canada Vessel Traffic Services (NORDREG) Zone reporting system is mandatory for certain vessels. The NORDREG Zone, which covers Canada's northern waters, has also been extended to the outer limit of the exclusive economic zone of Canada. The following vessels are required to report information to NORDREG:

• Vessels of 300 gross tonnage or more;
• Vessels that are engaged in towing or pushing a vessel, if the combined gross tonnage of the vessel and the vessel being towed or pushed is 500 gross tonnage or more; and
• Vessels carrying as cargo a pollutant or dangerous goods, or engaged in towing or pushing a vessel carrying as cargo a pollutant or dangerous goods.

The above vessels destined for the NORDREG Zone or navigating within the zone should contact NORDREG CANADA or the nearest Canadian Coast Guard MCTS centre for full information on how to comply with the new requirements.

3. → Automatic Identification System (AIS) - Installation of AIS Equipment in Eastern Canada

In 2012, the Canadian Coast Guard will commence Full Operational Condition (FOC) AIS service.

The Canadian Coast Guard AIS will cover most of Eastern Canada from the Strait of Belle Isle to the Bay of Fundy, most of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the St. Lawrence River and the Canadian Great Lakes. AIS service is now available at the following MCTS centres:

Comox
Prince Rupert
Tofino
Vancouver
Victoria

MCTS centres are able to receive dynamic information (position, heading and speed), static information (vessel description) and voyage information as transmitted by the vessel's AIS equipment. The date of commissioning of AIS service for each MCTS centre will be advertised through Notices to Shipping.

Although MCTS centres will be able to receive AIS ship safety messages, this service should only be used when other methods to communicate with an MCTS centre fail.

AIS binary message services are currently unavailable.

AIS equipment is to be operated in accordance with the Annex to Resolution A.917 (22), IMO guidelines for the onboard operational use of shipborne AIS and in conformity with the Navigation Safety Regulations (SOR/2005-134).

4. The Canadian Forces Fleet MetOc Broadcast Service

The Canadian Forces Fleet MetOc Broadcast service (radioteletype and radiofacsimile) was placed in abeyance effective September 2, 2010. The Canadian Forces Fleet MetOc Broadcast may be reinstated and ceased without warning as necessitated by military operational requirements. When notified, MCTS will issue a Notice to Shipping concerning reinstatement or cessation of this service.

5. Vancouver MCTS – Continuous Marine Broadcast Service

Vancouver MCTS Centre now provides a Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) service from its two peripheral sites: Harbour Centre (VHF Ch 83B) and Watts Point (WX-1). Detailed broadcast information (Vancouver MCTS) is available in Part 2 of this publication.

6. VHF peripheral site at Gabriola Island (Nanaimo area)

Victoria MCTS Centre now operates a multi channel VHF peripheral site on Gabriola Island. This site will increase Canadian Coast Guard's VHF radio coverage for Nanaimo, Northumberland Channel and the northern part of the Gulf Islands. Site location and channels are listed in Part 2 (Victoria MCTS).

7. → VHF-DSC Test Calls

The Canadian Coast Guard national VHF-DSC (digital selective calling) network controlled by MCTS centres processes VHF-DSC “Test Calls" from vessels provided that the marine radio meets the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standard Recommendation M.493-11 (or higher) “Digital selective-calling system for use in the maritime mobile service".

The Canadian Coast Guard VHF-DSC equipment is configured to automatically acknowledge VHF-DSC test calls within seconds of receipt provided that the MCTS centre VHF-DSC equipment is not processing higher priority DSC calls.

CANADIAN MARITIME MOBILE SAFETY AND PUBLIC CORRESPONDENCE COMMUNICATION FREQUENCIES

The frequencies listed on the following pages are those in general use by ships in Canadian waters for inter-ship communications and for ship/shore communications with MCTS centres operated by the Canadian Coast Guard.

Part 2 of this publication contains individual listings for MCTS centres operated by the Canadian Coast Guard, giving details of the communication and special services provided to ships.

On the following pages are frequency lists, including the geographical areas of use:

1. Pacific Coast;
2. Western Arctic;
3. Athabasca & Mackenzie Inland waterways; and
4. Eastern Arctic.

Notes Reference VHF:

1. “A" following a channel number means Simplex Operation on the ship station transmitting frequency.
2. “B" following a channel number means ship stations receive only the higher coast station transmitting frequency.

GENERAL INFORMATION ON MCTS CENTRE LISTINGS

1. Transmit and receive frequencies are listed in kHz.
2. Receiving frequencies printed in bold type are continuously monitored by MCTS centres.
3. The numbered areas mentioned in the remarks column of centres providing communications and special services are shown on the marine weather forecasts maps and are listed in detail under the heading “Weather Forecast Areas" in Part 5.
4. Pacific regions' MCTS centres have changed their working frequency from VHF channel 22A (157.1 MHz) to VHF channel 83A (157.175 MHz). Channel 22A may be available for use at some centres but it is no longer monitored continuously.
5. Frequencies for which the J3E single sideband modes of emission are shown in the MCTS centre listings are designated by the carrier frequencies. The assigned frequencies are 1.4 kHz higher than the carrier frequencies listed. (This note also applies to the medium and high radiotelephone frequencies listed in the “Canadian Maritime Mobile Safety and Public Correspondence Communication Frequencies", page 1-3).

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