Canadian Coast Guard Information Kit

Our Role in the Arctic

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) has a long and proud history of service in the Arctic.

CCG icebreakers are deployed to the Canadian Arctic each year specifically to provide services in support of the various mandates of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and the CCG, as well as to meet the general needs of the people and the Government of Canada.

Every year, from late June to early November, the CCG deploys one light, two heavy, and four medium class icebreakers to the Arctic. These icebreakers operate in a harsh climate with some of the most challenging sea ice conditions in the world. They are often the first vessels into the Arctic each shipping season and the last to leave. CCG also has three vessels that provide services on the Mackenzie River and Beaufort Sea. Of all the vessels deployed, two are solely dedicated to science missions: the CCGS Amundsen and the CCGS Nahidik.

Close to 70 CCG employees are assigned, on a seasonal basis, to northern operations. In addition, the officers and crew of six icebreakers from Newfoundland and Labrador, Québec and Pacific regions are deployed to the Arctic in the summer as part of the regular operational plan.

Our Arctic activities, many of which are delivered in partnership or on behalf of other federal departments and agencies, academic institutions, and northern communities, include:

Escorting commercial ships through ice to ensure access to Northern communities;

• Activities include providing ice route information, escorting commercial vessels through ice infested waters, as well as harbour breakouts. The number of foreign-flag ships escorted each year by CCG icebreakers varies, depending on ice conditions. However, ice conditions notwithstanding, an average of approximately 12 foreign-flag ships benefit from this service yearly.

Supporting scientific endeavours such as hydrographic charting and marine science;

• Activities include providing a marine platform and personnel in support of DFO science activities, the ArcticNet science community and other scientific organizations through initiatives such as the International Polar Year where possible.

Maintaining aids to navigation in the Canadian Arctic waterways;

• Activities include deployment, recovery, commissioning and maintenance of floating aids, construction and decommissioning of fixed aids.

Acting as the primary response lead for pollution incidents north of 60;

• Icebreakers may be required to respond to incidents on a priority basis and may also be tasked to other activities, generally safety-related, on a case-by-case basis.

Providing marine search and rescue (SAR) services;

• Ships, aircraft and personnel are secondary search and rescue resources, unless designated as primary and, as such, will be used for search and rescue as deemed appropriate. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre tasks all vessels, aircraft and personnel to search and rescue directly.

Operating two seasonal Arctic Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) centres and providing marine telephone services such as radio medical calls;

• Services provided from one centre located in Inuvik, covering the western Arctic, and the other located in Iqaluit servicing the eastern Arctic. These MCTS centres are only in operation during the Arctic navigational season.

Resupplying remote Arctic areas where commercial shipping services are not available;

• Delivering food, cargo and fuel to remote sites such as Eureka, Tanquary Fjord, Kugaaruk and other locations where commercial ships do not go.

Providing support to other government departments, agencies and other organizations to conduct important work in the Arctic environment;

• Providing vessels, aircrafts and marine personnel to assist in carrying out important work related to the Arctic.

CCG icebreakers on Arctic deployment are also the most visible and effective marine element in support of Canadian sovereignty in the North.