Canadian Coast Guard 2024 Levels of Service
Contents
Commissioner’s message
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) has updated its national Levels of Services (LOS). The 2024 version represents CCG’s current operating environment and accurately describes CCG’s service delivery and standards. The LOS is a means of ensuring quality delivery of services to Canadians.
In 2010, the CCG introduced its LOS across six programs, Aid to Navigation, Marine Environmental and Hazards Response, Icebreaking Services, Marine Communications and Traffic Services, Search and Rescue, and Waterways Management.
An online survey was used to collect the public’s views and comments on our levels of service. People from across Canada, such as mariners, people working in the tourism industry, port authorities, law enforcement, recreational boaters, Indigenous People, traditional harvesters, and CCG personnel, to identify a few, provided their comments. Program experts also flagged sections within the LOS that required updating. This review process aligns with CCG’s mission to support economic prosperity, contribute to the safety, accessibility, and security of Canadian waters.
A notable addition to the 2024 version LOS is the “Coast Guard’s Commitment to Engaging with Indigenous Peoples” section. I am proud to have this be a part of CCG’s standards of service as it contributes to our commitment to develop and maintain a strong working relationship with Indigenous People across Canada.
The LOS will help provide high quality and consistent services to our clients in the maritime environment. Undoubtedly, we will continue to face changes in our operational environment whether in the form of technological advances, changes in the economy, or the changing demands and expectations of our clients. CCG services will endeavour to keep pace with these changes and continue to evolve. We will continue to engage Canadians to ensure we are meeting our LOS and seek feedback on how we can continue to improve.
Mario Pelletier
Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard
Introduction
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) is a national Special Operating Agency of Fisheries and Oceans Canada that provides essential marine safety and environmental protection services directly to Canadians. The CCG is mandated to provide services to support safe, economical and efficient movement of ships in Canadian waters, to deliver the marine component of the federal search and rescue program, and to ensure appropriate marine pollution response. CCG also provides the marine support needed by other sectors of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and other federal government departments to support the protection of the marine and aquatic environment, public safety and security on the water, marine science and fisheries resource management, as well as other Government of Canada maritime objectives.
The services provided by the CCG can be grouped under six major programs: Aids to Navigation, Marine Environmental and Hazards Response, Icebreaking Services, Marine Communications and Traffic Services, Search and Rescue, and Waterways Management. Services are delivered through the management of Canada’s civilian fleet, a broadly distributed shore-based infrastructure, marine expertise, and in collaboration with public and private partners. As a national institution, the CCG strives to meet the expectations of a broad and varied client base including the general public, Indigenous People, commercial shippers, ferry operators, fishers, recreational boaters, and coastal communities.
Established levels of service (LOS) for the CCG’s programs are also integral to efficient planning and delivery. They are a cornerstone of the CCG’s business, alongside operational readiness and capacity. The LOS provide Coast Guard clients with a clear understanding of the services to be expected and ensure that services are delivered in a nationally consistent, integrated, predictable, measurable, and equitable fashion over time.
This document captures LOS for each CCG program by providing:
- Program service description including the purpose of the services, the seasonal duration, the areas where the services will be provided; and
- The service standards provide a benchmark for performance or measurable guidelines of what can be expected, including timeliness, accuracy, and access.
The 2024 Levels of Service represents Coast Guard’s current operating environment and corresponding service standards. The update was developed following the collection of the online survey results, and review by program experts and by industry stakeholders via the National Marine Advisory Board Sub-committee on Marine Navigation.
Disclaimer
The document is for planning purposes only. The levels of service statements in this document communicate the services and response levels clients can expect from CCG under normal conditions. In some circumstances, due to factors outside of the control of CCG such as weather, maritime traffic, unanticipated events, CCG may be unable to meet the levels of service and service standards included in this document.
Coast Guard’s Commitment to Engaging with Indigenous Peoples on Levels of Service
Indigenous Peoples in Canada, comprised of First Nations, Inuit and Métis People, are a vital and integral partner in marine safety and environmental protection. The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) highly values its relationships with Indigenous Peoples and is committed to acknowledging the past, honouring their many contributions and working to build the future together in partnership.
The CCG is moving towards a transformative relationship with Indigenous Communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast. Coast Guard is taking a broad and proactive approach to advancing reconciliation, focusing on practical outcomes, healthy relationships and good communication to provide a partnered service that reflects Indigenous Communities’ contributions, knowledge, needs and priorities.
Coast Guard’s vision with respect to its relationship with Indigenous Peoples is to support self-determination, improve service delivery and advance reconciliation in matters related to Coast Guard's mandate of ensuring safe and accessible waterways in Canada and the sustainable use and development of Canada’s oceans and waterways, in a manner that fosters and maintains positive relationships. It is understood that this commitment should always be consistent with section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the federal Principles Respecting the Government of Canada's Relationship with Indigenous Peoples and recognize and implement Indigenous and Treaty Rights.
With this in mind, CCG strives to meet the expectations of a broad and varied client base through its established levels of service. Established levels of service for the CCG’s programs are integral to efficient planning and delivery. They provide clients and partners with a clear understanding of the services to be expected and they also contribute to ensuring that the CCG’s services are delivered in a nationally consistent, integrated, predictable, measurable and equitable fashion over time. Guided by Coast Guard’s Guidelines for Building Meaningful Relationships, CCG is committed to its continued engagement with Indigenous Peoples on its levels of service, and looks forward to continue building respectful, trust-based relationships and partnerships with Indigenous Communities across the entire Coast Guard spectrum of programs and services, fleet and related activities.
Aids to Navigation
Program description
Under the authority of the Oceans Act the Canadian Coast Guard provides marine aids to navigation systems and services.
The Aids to Navigation (AtoN) program provides marine aids to navigation numbering over 17,000, including: visual aids (fixed aids, lighthouses and buoys); audible aids (fog horns); and, electronic aids (radar reflectors and beacons). In addition, the program provides maritime safety information in a series of online publications on the Canadian Coast Guard website.
Objective:
- To facilitate safe, economical and efficient movement of ships in Canadian waters.
Service: Provision of short-range visual, audible and electronic aids to navigation such as fixed aids, lighthouses, buoys, fog horns, and radar aids
Service 1. Consistent with program directives and procedures, an aids to navigation system, which can include one or more aids, is provided on a case-by-case basis, where the volume and type of traffic justify and the degree of risk requires aids.
Purposes
Aids to navigation may be established to:
- Assist landfall, mark approaches to harbours, ports and waterways
- Mark channels or tracks
- Mark hazards
- Confirm positions or courses
- Indicate preferred routes
- Separate traffic (e.g. to mark traffic separation schemes noted by specialized symbols on Canadian Hydrographic Service charts)
- Indicate special areas, such as anchorage, wrecks, marine protected areas
Conditions for provision
Aids to navigation are provided under the following conditions:
- To guide mariners to and from facilities supported by federal funds;
- In areas of adequate CHS charts;
- To allow re-supply of isolated communities that are dependent upon marine transportation, even where there is a lack of adequate charting;
- In harbours that predominantly serve commercial fishers.
Exclusions
Where no Conditions for Provision are met, aids to navigation will not be provided:
- In waters for which this responsibility has been delegated to other authorities through legislation or signed agreements;
- In waters where there is a lack of adequate charting that restricts the safe use to those with local knowledge;
- In waters where adequate depth of water is not available for common use;
- In waters where the aid(s) cannot be maintained to targeted reliability levels;
- Exclusively for purposes other than navigation;
- To mark hazards outside marked channels and away from charted routes and tracks;
- For other than public use;
- For the benefit of single, or a small number of, users.
Standard for service 1:
- Visual aids are designed, where feasible, to be visible at least 75% of the time during the worst month of the navigation season. This is calculated based on long-term weather observations from the Meteorological Service of Canada – Environment and Climate Change Canada.
- Audible aids may be provided when the design availability target of 75% cannot be achieved by visual means alone, for uncertified commercial vessels only.
- Radar aids may be provided when the design availability target of 75% cannot be achieved by visual means alone, for certified commercial vessels only.
- The overall target level for operational reliability for the short-range aids to navigation system is 99%, calculated over a three-year period.
Service: Provision of maritime safety information
Service 1. The Notices to Mariners (NOTMAR) website publishes updates to the following maritime safety information:
- Monthly Notices to Mariners
- Annual Edition of Notices to Mariners
- List of Lights, Buoys and Fog Signals
Standard for service 1:
- Notices to Mariners are produced on a monthly basis and posted on the NOTMAR website on the last Friday of every month.
- The Annual Edition of Notices to Mariners is published by March 31 and is based on corrections in the monthly editions of the previous calendar year.
- The List of Lights, Buoys and Fog Signals for four geographic areas is updated monthly based on corrections in the monthly editions of Notices to Mariners.
Marine Environmental and Hazards Response
Program description
The Canadian Coast Guard is the lead federal agency responsible for ensuring an appropriate response to all ship-source and mystery-source pollution incidents in Canadian waters and waters under international agreements. As a key component of the Canadian Marine Oil Spill Preparedness and Response Regime, the Canadian Coast Guard maintains preparedness and response capacity in waters under Canadian jurisdiction; monitors and assess all reports of marine pollution in Canada in conjunction with other federal departments; and maintains communications with the Program’s partners, including Transport Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, to ensure a consistent, coordinated approach in response to marine pollution incidents.
Emergency towing is considered a key preventative action to manage risks from maritime casualties. The Canadian Coast Guard has established emergency towing capacity and capability, primarily to protect the environment from pollution resulting from disabled or damaged vessels. This initiative includes the deployment of emergency tow kits, the leasing of two emergency offshore towing vessels for the West Coast and enhancement of 24/7 Regional Operations Centres to assess and facilitate response to casualties.
The Canadian Coast Guard’s Fleet Operational Readiness and Integrated Technical Services sectors contribute to the delivery of the Program. The Coast Guard’s Marine Environmental and Hazards Response (MEHR) program coordinates with other federal departments for surveillance information and scientific advice and works closely with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous Communities, commercial Response Organizations, oil handling facilities and ship owners in preparedness and response activities. The Program’s legal basis derives from the Oceans Act, the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, the Emergency Management Act, 2007, the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act, and the Marine Liability Act. The Program is also a key component in fulfilling Canada’s obligations under international laws and agreements including the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation, 1990.
Objective:
- To minimize the environmental, economic and public safety impacts of marine pollution incidents.
Service: Provide response to ship-source marine/mystery-source pollution incidents
Service 1. Preparedness capacity for response to ship-source and mystery-source pollution incidents.
Standard for service 1:
- The National Marine Spills Contingency Plan, along with Regional Chapters, are reviewed annually and updated as a minimum, once every five years.
- CCG will maintain a program of pollution response training and exercise for relevant personnel.
- CCG will maintain no less than a minimum level of pre-positioned pollution equipment, which aligns with the risk involved, and readiness profiles for its use.
Service: Response to reported cases of marine pollution
Service 1. Ensuring an appropriate response to ship-source and mystery-source marine pollution incidents in waters under Canadian jurisdiction.
Standard for service 1:
- A CCG MEHR Duty Officer is available in each Coast Guard region on a 24/7 basis.
- An MEHR Duty Officer will assess reports of marine pollution to determine if an activationFootnote 1 is necessary.
- CCG MEHR will activate response operationsFootnote 2 in accordance with MEHR Directive MEHRD/202 – Response Activation.
- If required, CCG and / or industry resources will be mobilisedFootnote 3 within 6 hours of completion of the initial assessment. Arrival time on-scene will vary.
- CCG will use Incident Command System (ICS) to manage response operations.
- Indigenous communities will participate / be invited to 85% of CCG MEHR planned multi-partner exercises per year in order to increase their marine pollution response capability.
- CCG will assess all reports of marine pollution to determine if an emergency towing response is required and task them, as required.
Icebreaking Services
Program description
The legal basis or authority for the provision of icebreaking services is the Oceans Act, 1996, Part III, Section 41
- The Icebreaking Program provides icebreaking and related services to facilitate the informed, safe, and timely movement of maritime traffic through and around ice-covered Canadian waters for the benefit of industry and communities.
- Program activities include escorting ships through ice-covered waters, freeing vessels beset in ice, conducting commercial harbour breakouts, providing advice and ice information, reducing the risk of flooding on the St. Lawrence and St. Clair rivers through monitoring, prevention and breaking up of ice jams.
- Icebreaking resources are deployed in the winter and summer seasons as appropriate based on the advertised Level of Services, and the actual observed ice conditions.
- The Icebreaking Program provides general support to Government of Canada efforts to resupply northern communities when commercial providers are not available.
Objectives:
- To facilitate the safe and timely movement of maritime traffic through or around ice-covered waters.
- To minimize the effect of flooding caused by ice jams on the St. Lawrence River, St. Clair River, and the Great Lakes.
Service: Provision of information and advice
Service 1. Provision of recommended ice routes, ice charts, ice advisories, bulletins, briefings and advice to support safe navigation around difficult areas of ice. This information is obtained through ice reconnaissance and liaison with the Canadian Ice Service.
Service 2. Monitoring of ice conditions to anticipate the development of ice jams and flooding and to determine the need for icebreaker intervention.
Service 3. Assisting and providing guidance to Transport Canada (TC) by activating Ice Control Zones in Eastern Canada and assisting with the Arctic Ice Regime Shipping System, by monitoring the Ice Regime Routing Messages and TC’s acknowledgement to the vessel if the planned route appears appropriate.
Standard for services 1 to 3:
- CCG Ice Operations Centre’s provide 24/7 services for relevant areas as described in the Icebreaking service section.
- Ice charts in operational areas of interest to CCG are provided daily.
Service: Provision of icebreaking services
Service 1. Icebreaking for flood prevention and the clearing of ice jams in the St. Lawrence River, St. Clair River, and the Great Lakes (Winter season only)
Service 2. Track maintenance to allow shipping to transit without direct icebreaker support through shore fast ice.
Service 3. Escorting vessels through ice-covered waters.
Service 4. Assisting beset vessels.
Service 5. Breakouts of commercial and fishing harbours.
Standard for services 1 to 5:
Winter Season applicable priorities – in descending order:Footnote 4
- All distress and emergency situations take precedence, this includes flooding that poses dangers to life and property
- Ferry services provided on Cabot Strait, in accordance with the Terms of Union, will be given priority; other ferry services will receive priority as deemed appropriate by the CCG
- Vessels with vulnerable cargoes (e.g. pollution potential, dangerous goods, perishable) and vessels transporting vital cargo to the survival of communities
- Commercial traffic and commercial ports, other than spring breakouts
- Fishing vessels, beset in ice
- Spring breakouts of commercial and fishing harbours
Summer Season applicable priorities – in descending order:
- All distress and emergency situations take precedence
- Vessels with vulnerable cargoes (e.g. pollution potential, dangerous goods, perishable) and vessels transporting cargo vital to the survival of communities
- Community harbour breakouts
- Other commercial shipping to locations/ports in the Canadian Arctic
- Transiting tourism vessels
- Vessels transiting the North West Passage without a stop in Canada’s Arctic
Scenarios that can affect prioritization:
- Vessels underway will be given higher priority than vessels secured in port.
- Subsequent requests from users who have not complied with CCG ice routing recommendation and/or other CCG advice will receive a lower request priority.
- Icebreaking services may not be provided should a trusted source, such as a mayor, Indigenous community leaders, or similar executive office requested that a service be delayed or not provided at all. An emergency situation supersedes all requests to reduce or deny service.
- Community or Indigenous leaders must provide authorization to break fast ice
Target response times for icebreaker assistance are:Footnote 5
- Labrador Coast – 12 hours
- NE and East Coasts of Newfoundland – 12 hours
- West Coast of Newfoundland – 12 hours
- Nova Scotia and Bay of Fundy – 12 hours
- Gulf of St. Lawrence – 12 hours
- St. Lawrence and Saguenay Rivers – 6 hours
- Lakes Huron, Erie, Superior (when the locks are open), Ontario (when the locks are open) – 8 hours
- Arctic Waters – 10 hoursFootnote 6
Conditions that can affect CCG’s response times:
- Icebreaking Services response to a non-emergency request may be affected due to regional agreements
- Location of the vessel requiring assistance
- Service is not required at time of request
- Whether or not the vessel is in danger
- Ice and weather conditions
- Availability of an icebreaking resource
- Proximity of an icebreaker to the vessel (transit time)
- Capability of the assigned icebreaker
- Hydrographic and/or geographic limitations
- Safety restrictions/conditions that would unduly endanger CCG crew, ships or equipment
- Crew and fuel changes
Service interruptions:
- Occasionally icebreaking operations may be suspended by either the icebreaker, or the assisted vessel or port. If the interruption is deemed to be the fault of the CCG, the duration (number of hours) of the interruption will be added to the response time. A remission policy is in place to compensate users for delayed icebreaking services.
- Icebreaking Services will not wait beyond a reasonable amount of timeFootnote 7 for vessels to rendezvous before departing to address pending priorities.
Marine Communications and Traffic Services
Program description
The Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) program provides safety radio-communication services, vessel traffic services and manages an integrated marine information system on a 24/7 basis.
The safety radio-communication service is provided via a comprehensive system of terrestrial radio facilities which enables communications between ships and shore, in complement to the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and national regulations.
Vessel traffic services screen vessels intending to enter Canadian waters, regulate vessel traffic movements, and provide navigational information and assistance to encourage safe and efficient navigation and environmental protection. This service provides CCG with enhanced information on vessel transit.
Objectives:
- To contribute to safety of life at sea
- To contribute to safety and efficiency of navigation
- To contribute to the protection of the marine environment
- To support maritime domain awareness
Services: Provision of distress and safety communication
Service 1. Response to calls for assistance from suitably equipped ships as per the following coverage areas:
- Very High Frequency (VHF) Band coverage by Radiotelephony and Digital Selective Calling (DSC) (Sea Area A1):
- West Coast – Those waters within 40 nautical miles of the West Coast of Canada, including those bays, coves and inlets that have unobstructed signal paths from VHF radio facilities.
- East Coast – Those waters within 40 nautical miles of the East Coast of Canada, as far north as Nain (Labrador – 57N), with the exception of the following areas of Newfoundland and Labrador: Rigolet, the eastern end of Lake Melville (54N to 55N), Black Tickle (52 30N to 53 30N) and White Bay (50N to 50 30N), and as far west on the St. Lawrence River as a straight line from Cap des Rosiers through Pointe de l’Ouest, Anticosti Island extending along the north shore, the south shore and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, including those bays, coves and inlets that have unobstructed signal paths from VHF radio facilities.
St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes – Canadian waters within 40 nautical miles from the shore, from Cap des Rosiers through Pointe de l’Ouest, Anticosti island, extending along the north shore, as far west as Thunder Bay, including the Saguenay River (excluding Lac St-Jean), the Richelieu River up to the US border (seasonal basis), the Ottawa River up to Carillon, Georgian Bay and those bays, coves and inlets that have unobstructed signal paths from VHF radio facilities.
- Lake Winnipeg (seasonal basis – radiotelephony only) – Those waters of Lake Winnipeg within a 40 nautical miles radius of Fraserwood, Jackhead, Beaver Creek and Long Point including those bays, coves and inlets that have unobstructed signal paths from VHF radio facilities.
- Lake Simcoe – Those waters of Lake Simcoe within a 40 nautical miles radius of Orillia including those bays, coves and inlets that have unobstructed signal paths from VHF radio facilities.
- Arctic (seasonal basis- radiotelephony only) – Those waters within a 40 nautical miles radius of Churchill, Iqaluit, Resolute Bay (Quasuittuk), Cambridge Bay, and Parson’s Lake including those bays, coves and inlets that have unobstructed signal paths from VHF radio facilities.
- Those waters of Great Slave Lake, within a 40 nautical miles radius of Enterprise and Yellowknife (seasonal basis- radiotelephony only) including those bays, coves and inlets that have unobstructed signal paths from VHF radio facilities.
- Medium Frequency (MF) Band coverage by (2MHz) Radiotelephony:
- West Coast – Those waters within 150 nautical miles radius of Prince Rupert, Hunter Point and Amphitrite Point.
- East Coast – Those waters within 150 nautical miles radius of the East Coast of Canada, as far north as 60N including the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
- Arctic (seasonal basis) – Those waters within a 150 nautical miles radius of Iqaluit, Killinek, Coral Harbour, Resolute Bay (Quasuittuk), Churchill, Inuvik and Cambridge Bay.
MF Note: Due to the nature of radio propagation in the MF band in the Arctic and ice covered waters, the 150 nautical miles is attainable only 50% of the time.
- High Frequency (HF) Band coverage by Radiotelephony and DSC (Sea Area A4):
- West Coast – Radiotelephony coverage is provided within an 800 nautical mile radius of the Prince Rupert MCTS Centre.
- Arctic (seasonal basis) – Coverage is provided to the Arctic Ocean and Hudson Bay, within an 800 nautical mile radius of Iqaluit, Killinek, Coral Harbour, Resolute Bay (Quasuittuk), Churchill, Cambridge Bay and Inuvik and to the Mackenzie River from Hay River and Inuvik
HF Note: Due to the nature of radio propagation in the HF band, propagation disturbances affect HF communications more frequently in the Arctic than in the other areas.
Notes:
- Coverage areas are specified in relation to specific locations; these locations constitute reference points only and are not necessarily the actual physical locations of the radio facilities.
- In the case of VHF (156-174MHz), the signal strength is based on a ship antenna height of 10 meters.
- All VHF, MF, HF and DF radio facilities, as well as broadcast schedules and sea area descriptions, are listed in RAMN.
Standard for service 1:
- International distress, safety and calling channels and VHF/DSC are continuously monitored; in cases of emergencies, the SAR Authorities are alerted as soon as practicable of key information being gathered and processed.
- The system availability of MCTS safety communication services (percentage of actual time that the required systems are operational as compared to the total hours of authorized service) shall not be less than:
- 99.7% in each of the MF, HF, and VHF radiotelephony and HF and VHF/HF DSC bands.
Service 2. CCG publishes Radio Aids to Marine Navigation (RAMN) which presents information on radio communications and radio navigational aids services provided in Canada
Standard for service 2:
- RAMN will be updated on a yearly basis.
Service 3. Provision of a sail plan service for small craft operators unable to file a sail plan with a responsible person. Sail plans are accepted in person, by marine radio or via telephone only.
Service 4. MCTS Centres accept, free of charge, messages related to safety. Included are Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER) reports, radio medicals, weather observation report, dangers to navigation reports, Canadian pilotage messages.
Service 5. The Mackenzie River Marine Safety Advisory System is provided from Iqaluit MCTS. Danger areas have been designated and reporting procedures have been established for vessels transiting the river from mile 0 to mile 1081 and for vessels entering or leaving restricted channels.
Standard for services 3 to 5:
- These services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Service 6. MCTS Centres broadcast maritime safety information through continuous, scheduled and unscheduled broadcasts to provide mariners with information such as weather bulletins, ice information, and Navigational Warnings (NAVWARNs) concerning the operational status of navigational aids and dangers to navigation.
Standard for service 6:
- Navigational and meteorological information shall be broadcast within two minutes of receipt. Routine information will be broadcast as per advertised schedules. In the case of Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB), the update will be completed within 15 minutes of receipt. 99.5% availability for each method of broadcast which requires a specific frequency (e.g. Navtex, radiofacsimile, Continuous Marine Broadcast)
Service: Regulation of vessel traffic in selected Canadian waters
Service 1. Providing timely and relevant information on factors that may influence ship movements and assist onboard decision-making.
Service 2. Monitoring and managing ship traffic to ensure the safety and efficiency of ship movements.
Service 3. Responding to developing unsafe situations.
Service 4. The following are the established Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) zones:
- St. John’s
- Placentia Bay
- Port aux Basques
- Strait of Belle Isle (voluntary)
- Halifax
- Strait of Canso and eastern approaches
- Northumberland Strait
- Bay of Fundy
- St. Lawrence Waterway
- Vancouver
- Tofino
- Prince Rupert
- Sarnia
Standard for services 1 to 4:
- MCTS Centres continuously monitor VTS radio frequencies and surveillance sensors, and promulgate information 24/7, 365 days a year.
- The availability of VTS system, VHF, AIS, and radar equipment (percentage of actual time that the required systems are operational compared to the total hours of authorized service) shall not be less than 99.7%.
Service: Screening and clearance of vessels entering Canadian waters
Service 1. Screening and issuance of clearance following receipt of a complete report from a vessel:
- On a mandatory basis for all ships prior to entrance in Canadian waters, where the ship is of 500 tons gross tonnage or more, is engaged in towing or pushing another vessel, where the combined tonnage of tug and tow is 500 tons gross tonnage or more, or is a ship of any tonnage engaged in the carriage of dangerous or pollutant cargo as prescribed in the regulations for the following zones:
- The Eastern Canada Vessel Traffic Services Zone (ECAREG) shall consist of the Canadian waters on the east coast of Canada south of the sixtieth parallel of north latitude and in the St. Lawrence River east of 66°00′ west longitude except the waters within Ungava Bay and the waters within the Vessel Traffic Services Zones referred to in the Vessel Traffic Services Zone Regulations.
- Western Canada: Includes all Canadian waters on the West Coast of Canada as described in the VTS Zones Regulations.
- On a mandatory basis apply to every ship 300 tons, gross tonnage or more, in the following zone:
- The Northern Canada Vessel Traffic Services Zone (NORDREG): Those waters consist of the shipping safety control zones prescribed by the Shipping Safety Control Zones Order; Ungava Bay, Hudson Bay and Kugmallit Bay that are not in a shipping safety control zone; James Bay ; the waters of the Koksoak River from Ungava Bay to Kuujjuaq; the waters of Feuilles Bay from Ungava Bay to Tasiujaq; the waters of Chesterfield Inlet that are not within a shipping safety control zone, and the waters of Baker Lake; and the waters of the Moose River from James Bay to Moosonee.
Standard for service 1:
- The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Service: Provision of marine information in support of activities
Service 1. Provision of marine information in support of activities of departments and agencies of the Government of Canada and marine industry.
Service 2. Notices to Fish Harvesters (NOTFISH) radio broadcasts notify persons on fishing activities such as openings, closings and changes to regulated fishing activities in designated fishing areas.
Standard for services 1 and 2:
- The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Search and Rescue
Program description
The Canadian Coast Guard’s Search and Rescue (SAR) Services Program leads, delivers, and maintains preparedness and response for the maritime component of the federal SAR system with the support of stakeholders and partners, including the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Department of National Defence and Indigenous responders. Through communications, operational awareness, coordination, and the delivery of maritime SAR response, the program increases the probability of rescue of people in distress on waters within the federal maritime area of responsibility.
The Fleet Operational Readiness and Marine Communications and Traffic Services programs are integral contributors to the delivery of the SAR Program. The Program’s legal basis derives from the Constitution Act, 1867, the Oceans Act and the Canada Shipping Act, 2001. The Program is also a key component of fulfilling Canada’s obligations under international laws and agreements including the United Nation’s Convention on the Law of the Sea, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea and the International Convention on Maritime SAR.
Objective:
- To support the search for, and the provision of aid to, persons, ships or other craft which are, or are feared to be, in distress or in imminent distress.
Service: Provision of search and rescue services to mariners and to others in need of humanitarian aid
Service 1. Co-ordinating the response to maritime SAR incidents in Canadian and International waters.Footnote 8
Standard for service 1:
- Coast Guard will assess detected maritime SAR incidents and initiate a SAR responseFootnote 9 in line with standards defined in the International and Canadian Aeronautical and Maritime SAR Manuals.Footnote 10
- Coast Guard will provide maritime SAR mission co-ordination services 24/7, 365 days per year.
Service 2. Provision of SAR UnitsFootnote 11 during the normal local navigation season.Footnote 12
Standard for service 2:
- Primary SAR Units are operational on a 24/7 basis.Footnote 13
- Primary SAR Units will depart on a SAR tasking within 30 minutes.
- All Coast Guard vessels will carry a rescue specialistFootnote 14 capable of providing pre-hospital medical care.
- Coast Guard vessels on secondary SAR will depart on SAR requests within one hour.Footnote 15
Service 3. Engagement with partners including Indigenous communities and stakeholders will be conducted to inform risk-based analysis of maritime SAR delivery (RAMSARD) reviews and future program planning.
Standard for service 3:
- Coast Guard will engage partners including Indigenous communities and stakeholders in 100% of the RAMSARD reviews conducted.
Waterways Management
Program description
Waterways Management develops the guidelines for the safe design and use of shipping channels. This program also provides a variety of services across Canada that include providing mariners with channel bottom conditions, water depth forecasts, and maintenance dredging. Coast Guard Regions also provide their own suite of services to inform mariners to navigate in Canada’s waterways safely and efficiently.
Atlantic Region:
- Provides channel bottom condition and channel bathymetry information to users and partners.
Central Region:
- Provides channel bottom condition and channel bathymetry information to users and partners, and maintenance dredging services for the Great Lakes connecting channels and the St. Lawrence River on a cost recovery basis.
Western Region:
- Provides channel bottom condition and channel bathymetry information to users and partners.
National:
- Provides guidelines and directives for the design, safe use and maintenance, and channel risks management of main commercial shipping channels.
Objectives:
- Inform mariners of channel conditions and contribute to the safe use of Canada’s shipping channels and to ensure efficient maritime transport.
Service: Maintenance and management of main commercial shipping channels
Service 1. Provision of national guidelines and directives for the design, safe use and maintenance, and channel risks management of main commercial shipping channels
Standard for service 1:
- Guidelines for the design, safe use and maintenance of main commercial shipping channels and channel risk management are updated approximately every five years as required by technological advancements in ship navigation and aids to navigation, as well as evolution of ship designs, usage patterns and public concerns.
- The guidelines are published within two weeks of revision or update.
Service 2. Surveying, monitoring, and reporting of main commercial shipping channel bottoms
Standard for service 2:
- Survey main commercial shipping channel bottoms through annual or cyclical surveys determined by historical need or event driven, such as after a major storm, ice conditions, a grounding incident, a report of a navigation hazard, etc..
- Issue channel bottom monitoring data within 48 hours once the Program receives the survey information or next working day when a weekend intervenes and up to seven days for the Great Lakes.
Service 3. The CCG will issue NAVWARNs on hazardous situations (e.g., hazards in channel)
Service 4. Special assessment channel conditions are done based on identified need (e.g., significant change in usage, maintenance or incidents and accidents)
Standard for services 3 and 4:
- In the Atlantic Region, issue depth shoaling NAVWARN once survey data is processed and complete.
- In the Great Lakes, issue NAVWARN information within seven days once the Program receives the survey information.
- In the St. Lawrence, issue NAVWARN information within 24 hours once the Program receives the survey information.
- When a hazard is identified within the St. Lawrence River it will be removed as soon as possible.
Service 5. Maintenance dredging of the Canadian portions of the Great Lakes connecting Channels (St. Clair, Detroit and St. Mary’s Rivers)
Standard for service 5:
- Maintain the Canadian portions of the connecting channels of the Great Lakes at advertised /safe depths, as required to meet international obligations.
Service 6. Maintenance dredging of the St. Lawrence River ship channel on a cost recovery basis
Standard for service 6:
- Dredge the St. Lawrence River in accordance with advertised depths.
Service: Provision of information on channel bottom conditions, and available water level depths and forecasts
Service 1. Scheduled provision of St. Lawrence River expected minimum water levels forecast
Standard for service 1:
- Forecasts available every Monday and Thursday/ twelve months a year.
Service 2. Scheduled provision of the Fraser River water level forecast
Standard for service 2:
- Issue weekly reports for the Fraser River.
Service 3. Scheduled provision of the Mackenzie River water level forecast
Standard for service 3:
- Forecasts available three times per week during the ice-free season for the Mackenzie River.
Service 4. Atlantic Region, channel bottom condition
Standard for service 4:
Information available to all clients within the year of survey, and within 48 hours of the Program receiving the processed survey data/information.
- Date modified: