This information has been archived because it is outdated and no longer relevant.

• Significant Events
• Commissioners
• Incidents & Investigations
• Fleet Additions
• Notes

Significant Events over the last 50 years.

 01/26/1962 Coast Guard comes into existence: January 26^th. The Canadian Coast Guard officially came into existence, when the Honourable Leon Balcer, Minister of Transport in the government of Mr. John Diefenbaker, rose in the House of Commons and announced that the government had decided that the Department of Transport fleet of ships would, in the future, be known as the Canadian Coast Guard. 

  09/30/1962 CCGS John A. Macdonald set a “farthest north” record: The CCGS John A. Macdonald set a “farthest north” record by reaching the northern tip of Tanquary Fiord, which is at 81° North Latitude, only 1000 kms from the Pole. 

05/05/1964 Minister of Transport announces creation of College: May 5^th. Minister of Transport Jack Pickersgill, was mandated to establish "a training college for new entry officers for the Canadian Coast Guard." 

  07/16/1964 Canada expands territorial waters to twelve miles: Canada expanded its territorial sea from three to twelve miles. See also Canada’s Ocean Estate Canada's Ocean Estate 

01/01/1965 First Loran C Station enters service: The first Canadian Loran C (Long Range Navigation (a terrestrial radio navigation system)) station was erected at Cape Race as early as 1965 as part of a United States military network. In January 2010, both the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) announced the termination of the Loran-C signal.

12/30/1965 Comms cable to Thule Greenland repaired: The CCGS d’Iberville and the USCG icebreaker Westwind assisted the CCGS John Cabot as it repaired a vital cable link to the United States air base at Thule, Greenland.

06/01/1969 Final Voyage to the Arctic: CCGS C.D.Howe made her nineteenth and last voyage to the Arctic.

08/31/1969 Manhattan departs Resolute: CCGS John A. Macdonald met the Manhattan at the south end of Davis Strait. At Resolute, on September 6th they were joined by the USCG icebreaker Northwind and the three ships made the transit of the Northwest Passage in company. CBC News Report CBC News Report

08/01/1970 Accomplishment - 40th arctic voyage: CCGS N.B.McLean made her 40^th annual voyage to arctic waters.

05/01/1972 First CG Command Certificate: The first Coast Guard Command Certificate was issued in May 1972, (to Fred Guse, Class of ’69, who had also obtained the first Coast Guard Watchkeeping Certificate).

05/10/1973 Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) program initiated: Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) program initiated

07/05/1976 First Honarary Chief Commissioner: July 5^th. the Rt. Hon. Jules Leger, Governor General of Canada, agreed to become Honorary Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, and all subsequent Governors General have held this title.

12/31/1976 Accomplishment - Circumnavigation: CCGS J.E. Bernier circumnavigated North America

08/09/1978 Canadian Marine Rescue Auxiliary (CMRA) established: The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (formerly known as the Canadian Marine Rescue Auxiliary (CMRA)) was formed in 1978-79 in an effort to enhance search and rescue coverage and capability, and to better coordinate volunteer efforts. The organization has been saving lives ever since.

07/01/1981 Weather Station Kurt: CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent assists in location and removal of German WWII Weather Station Kurt in Labrador Wikipedia article Photo: Canadian War Museum

04/01/1984 The Great St. Clair River Ice Jam!: The Great St. Clair River Ice Jam! NOAA Report

03/02/1987 Polar 8 icebreaker announced: Hon. John Crosbie, announced that a Polar 8 icebreaker would be designed and built at Versatile Pacific Shipyards Inc. in British Columbia to be delivered in 1992, twenty-one years after the initial proposal.

11/01/1989 Report of the Auditor General of Canada: Chapter 23—Department of Transport—Canadian Coast Guard—Fleet Management, Aids to Navigation and Icebreaking OAG Report

11/10/1989 Ships Crew Strike (PSAC): Ship's Crew Strike (November and December).

12/15/1989 Ships Crews legislated back to work: Government legislated an end to the strike.

02/01/1990 Cancellation of Polar 8 Project: Montreal Gazette Wikipedia February budget announces cancellation of the Polar 8 project.

03/28/1991 Exemplary Service Medal: Her Excellency the Governor General, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, hereby directs that Letters Patent to issue Canadian Coast Guard Exemplary Service Medal.

06/01/1992 MTC relocates to College: Maritime Training Center (MTC) located at the Transport Canada Training Center (TCTI) (now NavCanada Training and Conference Center) in Cornwall ON relocated to the College in Sydney NS. Photo: Google Earth

08/22/1994 Accomplishment - North Pole: CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent and Polar Sea reach the North Pole

04/20/1997 Red River Flood: The Red River Flood of 1997 brought together many organizations and individuals to help the people of Manitoba. The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) colleagues played several roles in the relief effort. Echo - CG Meets Flood Challenge

01/26/2002 CCG 40^th Anniversary: Echo - CCG Celebrates 40th Anniversary "Safety first, service always", so goes the motto of the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), which is celebrating its 40^th Anniversary this year.

07/03/2002 Honarary Commissioner - Adrienne Clarkson: Speech Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson Speech on the Occasion of the Investiture as Honorary Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard.

07/09/2003 CCGA 25th Anniversary: Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary 25^th Anniversary

12/12/2003 Marine Safety transferred to TC: Prime Minister announces that the Canadian Coast Guard’s marine safety policy was being transferred to Transport Canada.

02/20/2004 Harry Strong inducted into the Order of Canada: Mr. Harry Strong, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary was inducted into the Order of Canada.

03/03/2005 JJ Kinley Award: Navy League of Canada Presents CCGS Sir William Alexander with JJ Kinley Award Navy League of Canada

04/04/2005 Special Operating Agency: It was announced by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans that CCG was being designated a "special operating agency"—the largest one in the federal government. Photo: Office of the Honourable Geoff Regan. The Honourable Geoffrey Paul Regan PC, MP, B.A, LL.B

04/20/2005 Marine Maintenance and Equipment Training: CCG College announces the opening of the Marine Maintenance and Equipment Training (MMET) Centre. Photo: NLFRD

07/13/2005 RCMP & CCG Joint Marine Security Patrols: RCMP and Canadian Coast Guard Begin Joint Marine Security Patrols Along Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. Photo: Rick Laporte

07/08/2006 Michaelle Jean: Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada, was invested as Honorary Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard. DFO News Release

10/16/2006 Leslie Palmer - Cross of Valour: First Officer Leslie Palmer, with the Canadian Coast Guard Cutter (CCGC) Point Henry of the Pacific Region, received the Governor General’s Cross of Valour; a Decoration of Bravery which recognizes people who risked their lives to try and save or protect another.

01/02/2007 Status Report of the Auditor General: Status Report of the Auditor General of Canada Chapter 4—Managing the Coast Guard Fleet and Marine Navigational Services—Fisheries and Oceans Canada Status Report of the Auditor General of CanadaS

01/03/2007 International Polar Year: Launch of International Polar Year(IPY) 2007-2008. IPY

07/26/2007 CCGS Amundsen & IPY: As part of International Polar Year, the CCGS Amundsen set sail from Quebec City on a 15-month-long scientific mission in the Canadian Arctic.

08/01/2007 Arctic Strategy: The federal government's vision for "A new North,” announced by the Prime Minister in August 2007 as “Canada's Northern Strategy,” Canada's Arctic Strategy

 10/20/2007 The Honourable Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, unveiled a memorial honouring 34 persons who lost their lives while in the service of the Canadian Coast Guard. The monument resides in the courtyard of the Coast Guard College in Westmount, Cape Breton. Link: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/npress-communique/2007/hq-ac53-eng.htm

05/15/2008 Hamilton and Scourge Preservation Project: CCG Central and Arctic Region participated in a project to assess the condition of two US gunships Hamilton and Scourge that were sunk off Port Dalhousie in August 1813 and were located in 1975 in 300 feet of water

10/17/2008 CCGS Amundsen & IPY: October 17^th. after its 450-day voyage which began on July 26, 2007, the CCGS Amundsen travelled 31,847 nautical miles (58,917 km), a distance equivalent to one and a half times the Earth’s circumference.

05/04/2009 Report: Rising to the Arctic Challenge: SCOFO Report (Adobe PDF) Rising to the Arctic Challenge: Report on the Canadian Coast Guard

12/01/2009 Report: Controlling Canada’s Arctic Waters: Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans Controlling Canada’s Arctic Waters (Adobe PDF)

01/01/2010 Loran-C Service Terminated: In January 2010, both the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) announced the termination of the Loran-C signal. The USCG terminated the transmissions of all U.S. domestic Loran-C signals including those covering the Great Lakes on February 8, 2010. On August 3rd, 2010, the CCG and USCG jointly terminated the Loran-C service covering the East and West coasts of Canada. CCG Public Notice

01/26/2012 Coast Guard celebrates 50^th Anniversary