The federal government will build six new icebreakers in the coming years, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard Jonathan Wilkinson announced August 2.
Michele LeTourneau/NNSL photo
Wilkinson was joined by Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna at the Iqaluit announcement.
"The Canadian Coast Guard saves lives at sea, maintains safe shipping, enables an otherwise ice-choked economy, protects the marine environment and supports Canadian sovereign presence in the Arctic," stated Wilkinson.
"Demands on the Coast Guard will only grow as the impacts of climate change become more frequent and intense. By adding the new program icebreakers to renew the fleet, we are ensuring the women and men of the Canadian Coast Guard have the equipment they need to deliver icebreaking services in the Arctic, on the St. Lawrence waterway and on Canada's East Coast."
The six icebreakers are in addition to the 16 multi-purpose vessels and two new Arctic and offshore patrol ships announced by the federal government in May. The federal government is investing more than $15 billion to renew the Coast Guard fleet.
More to come.