Icebreaking

The Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG’s) Icebreaking program, in partnership with Environment Canada’s Canadian Ice Service, helps maritime traffic move safely and quickly through, or around, ice-covered Canadian waters.

Clients of the program include the commercial maritime industry, ferries, fishing vessels, ports and Arctic residents.

Program services include:

• providing ice information and ice-routing advice to the marine industry;
• providing close escort of vessels and freeing ships surrounded by ice;
• maintaining open tracks through ice that is firmly attached to the shore;
• monitoring ice conditions and water levels, as well as flood-control and ice-management operations;
• re-supplying isolated northern settlements;
• maintaining a federal presence in the Arctic during the navigation season; and
• breaking out approaches to ports and clearing ice from wharf faces (where commercial icebreaking services are not available).

Seasons of operation include:

• Winter (mid-December to May): 17 icebreakers open routes along Canada’s east coast from Newfoundland to Montréal, in the Great Lakes and other shipping channels.

• Summer (June to early November): six icebreakers operate in the Arctic, assisting shipping, delivering cargo to some isolated communities, maintaining a sovereign presence and conducting essential science missions.

For more information on CCG’s Icebreaking program, go to:

Icebreaking

Levels of Service