Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard | Pêches et Océans Canada, Garde Côtière Canadienne
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Strategic Human Resources Plan 2009-2012
About the Canadian Coast Guard

A National Institution

The Canadian Coast Guard owns and operates the federal government’s civilian fleet, and provides key maritime services to Canadians. Our mandate is to help the government meet the public’s expectation of clean, safe, secure, healthy and productive waters and coastlines. Our mission is to play a vital role in the support of government priorities, contribute to economic prosperity, safety, accessibility, and security of Canadian waters.

For more information on business priorities, please consult the 2009-2012 edition of the Canadian Coast Guard Business Plan (www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/e0005623)

Programs and Services

Through innovation and excellence, the Canadian Coast Guard, a recognized leader in maritime services and safety, operates along one of the largest coastlines in the world, an inland water system stretching across 3,700 kilometres and a 3.7 million square-kilometre Canadian Exclusive Economic Zone.

On an average day, the Canadian Coast Guard:
  • saves eight lives;
  • assists 55 people in 19 search and rescue cases;
  • services 55 navigational aids;
  • handles 1,127 marine radio contacts;
  • manages 2,346 commercial ship movements;
  • escorts four commercial ships through ice;
  • carries out 11 fisheries patrols, supports eight scientific surveys and supports three hydrographic missions;
  • deals with three reported pollution events;
  • surveys five kilometres of navigation channel bottom; and
  • provides, through the Canadian Coast Guard College, the vital technical training and leadership skills needed to successfully fulfill all of our above-noted responsibilities.