Indigenous Community Boat Volunteer Program

Our Indigenous Community Boat Volunteer Program provides funding to coastal Indigenous communities to buy boats and related marine safety equipment. This helps support their membership in the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Combined with training in search and rescue, the Program helps these communities carry out search and rescue operations making the waters near Indigenous coastal communities safer for everyone.

Indigenous Auxiliary Members

The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary is a national non-profit organization of 4,000 volunteer members with access to 1,000 vessels that boost the Government of Canada's maritime search and rescue response capacity.

Members of Indigenous coastal communities play a key role in marine safety. They are often the first to arrive on the scene when incidents happen in remote coastal areas. They also have expertise in navigating local waters.

In partnership with the Canadian Coast Guard, members of the Auxiliary provide marine search and rescue services, promote marine safety, and conduct coastal safety patrols.

Funding

The Canadian Coast Guard launched the program in 2017, under the Oceans Protection Plan. To date, 49 Indigenous coastal communities and organizations have received over $15.6 million in funding. They used the money to buy or repair boats and related equipment.

Under the next phase of the Oceans Protection Plan, this initiative will continue to build, enhance, or sustain communities’ capacity to participate in marine incident response activities.

Recipients

Northwest Territories

• Aklavik Search and Rescue Society
• Hay River Marine Rescue Society
• Inuvik Marine Rescue Unit
• Tuktoyaktuk Marine Search and Rescue
• Ulukhaktok
• Yellowknife Marine Rescue

Nunavut

• Aivilik Marine Search and Rescue Society
• Cambridge Bay Coast Guard Auxiliary
• Clyde River Search and Rescue
• Coral Harbour Niviuqtiit
• Eclipse Marine Search and Rescue
• Hamlet of Arviat
• Hamlet of Gjoa Haven
• Igloolik Marine Society
• Kugluktuk Marine Rescue
• Rankin Inlet
• Sanirajak Search and Rescue Society
• Hamlet of Pangnirtung

British Columbia

• Ahousaht First Nation
• Gitga'at First Nation
• Gitxaala First Nation
• Heiltsuk First Nation
• Kitasoo/Xai'sais First Nation
• Lax Kw’alaams Band
• Namgis First Nation
• Nisga’a First Nation
• Nuxalk Nation
• Wuikinuxv First Nation
• Quatsino First Nation
• Ka:'yu:'k't'h'/Che:k'tles7et'h' First Nations

Manitoba

• Churchill Coast Guard Auxiliary

Ontario

• Beausoleil First Nation
• Whitefish River First Nation
• Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory

Quebec

• Nunaturlik Land Holding Corporation of Kangiqsujuaq
• Crees of Waskaganish First Nation

New Brunswick

• Mawiw Council Inc. (communities of Elsipogtog First Nation & Esgenoopetitj First Nation)
• Peskotomuhkati Nation at Skutik

Nova Scotia

• Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq
• Waycobah First Nation (We'koqma'q)

Prince Edward Island

• Lennox Island First Nation

Newfoundland and Labrador

• Innu Nation communities of Sheshatshiu and Natuashish
• Miawpukek First Nation
• Nunatsiavut Government / Makkovimuit Trust Inc. on behalf of the communities of Nain and Makkovik
• Nunatukavut Community Council (communities of Port Hope Simpson & Cartwright)