Canadian Coast Guard Information Kit

Icebreaking Services

Canada has more ice floating on its oceans and lakes than any other nation, presenting challenges for vessel navigation. At any time of the year, vessels may encounter ice in Canadian waters. In the Arctic, vessels transiting the remote and inhospitable waters can encounter thick first-year ice and the more dangerous multi-year ice, along with icebergs. In the winter, two-metre-thick ice and six-metre-high ridges are common off the east coast of Newfoundland and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The St. Lawrence Seaway has its own hazards; ice jams can occur in its winding channels, leading to flooding in low-lying areas and bringing marine traffic to a halt.

The Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) Icebreaking Program, in partnership with Environment Canada’s Canadian Ice Service, facilitates the informed, safe and timely movement of maritime traffic through and around ice-covered Canadian waters for the benefit of industry and communities with the following services:

• providing ice information and ice routing information to assist vessels navigating through or around ice-covered waters;
• freeing beset vessels and escorting ships in ice;
• maintaining open tracks through ice firmly attached to the shore;
• conducting harbour breakouts;
• re-supplying isolated northern settlements; and
• reducing the risk of flooding on the St. Lawrence Seaway through monitoring, prevention and breaking up of ice jams.

The Icebreaking Program is active in two seasons. During the winter season, which can last from mid- December until May, the Coast Guard utilizes up to 15 icebreakers and two hovercraft for operations in the Great Lakes and the east coast of Canada from Montréal to Newfoundland. In the summer season, which is from late June to early November, the CCG deploys six icebreakers to the Arctic.

During the short navigation season in the Arctic, many northern communities rely on Coast Guard icebreaker support to commercial ships that deliver fuel and cargo each year. The present day Coast Guard is part of a federal marine presence that has been maintained in the Arctic since 1904.

Icebreaking operations levels of service, including flood control and harbour breakouts, are targeted to be available on a prescribed schedule with response times for each geographic area. Priority is given for emergencies, flood control, ferries, cargoes (perishable/petroleum/dangerous), commercial traffic and fishing harbours.

The Icebreaking Program’s regional Ice Offices, in partnership with the Marine Communications and Traffic Services centres, provide service 24 hours a day during an ice season.

On the international front, Canada and the United States have a shared interest in the Great Lakes; for this reason, the Canadian and the U.S. Coast Guards have established a joint agreement to coordinate icebreaking in these waters.

Other partners of the Icebreaking Program include:

• other government departments;
• marine industry associations;
• pilotage authorities;
• harbour and port authorities;
• ice advisors/navigators; and
• the scientific community.

Clients of the Icebreaking Program include:

• commercial vessels;
• fishing vessels;
• ports and fishing harbours;
• flood plain residents;
• other government vessels;
• industry; and
• Arctic residents.

Through its Icebreaking Program, the CCG responds to about 1,500 requests a year for icebreaking support. About half of these are for route assistance, 300 for flood prevention, 200 for harbour breakouts and ice reconnaissance, and the remainder for Arctic issues. In partnership with the Canadian Ice Service, the Coast Guard provides over 5,000 ice charts a year to marine shipping.