Canadian Coast Guard accepts delivery of two more Bay Class high-endurance search and rescue lifeboats
News release
January 9, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario
The Canadian Coast Guard keeps waterways safe for mariners, protects the marine environment and responds to over 6,000 calls for marine assistance each year. On an average day, we coordinate the response to 19 search and rescue incidents, assist 68 people and save 18 lives. This is why providing Canadian Coast Guard personnel with the vessels they need to deliver these critical services to Canadians remains a priority for the Government of Canada.
Today, the Canadian Coast Guard marked the delivery of the 13th and 14th search and rescue lifeboats: the CCGS Gabarus Bay and the CCGS Chedabucto Bay. The vessels were built by Hike Metal Products Ltd from Wheatley, Ontario and Chantier Naval Forillon from Gaspé, Quebec, respectively.
The delivery of the CCGS Gabarus Bay and CCGS Chedabucto Bay marks another important milestone for the construction and delivery of a total of 20 search and rescue lifeboats under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. This achievement is an important step in equipping the Canadian Coast Guard with safe, modern, and Canadian-made equipment needed to deliver critical services.
The CCGS Chedabucto Bay will be stationed in Clark’s Harbour, Nova Scotia while the CCGS Gabarus Bay will be stationed in Burgeo, Newfoundland and Labrador.
These search and rescue vessels are also equipped to assist in marine environmental response operations to reduce the impacts of marine pollution incidents.
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Quotes
“With the completion of the CCGS Gabarus Bay and CCGS Chedabucto Bay, the National Shipbuilding Strategy delivered top of the line Canadian-built vessels to the Canadian Coast Guard. These vessels demonstrate the Government of Canada’s priority to renew the Canadian Coast Guard fleet, protect seafarers in our waters, and advance good-paying jobs constructing ships right here in Canada.”
The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
“These high endurance search and rescue vessels help us keep our waters safe for mariners. Having CCGS Chedabucto Bay and CCGS Gabarus Bay join our fleet provides us with great pride. These vessels allow the Canadian Coast Guard to deliver critical services in the Atlantic region. Congratulations to Hike Metal Products and Chantier Naval Forillon workforces for their hard work to bring these impressive ships into the fleet.”
Mario Pelletier, Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard
Quick facts
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In 2018, Gaspé, Quebec’s Chantier Naval Forillon and Wheatley, Ontario’s Hike Metal Products Ltd were awarded the construction of four new search and rescue (SAR) lifeboats each, building on the existing contract awarded in 2015 to build six SAR lifeboats each. The total value of the contracts for the SAR lifeboats is $180 million.
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These Bay Class SAR lifeboats are specifically designed, equipped, and crewed to respond to SAR incidents at sea. These self-righting vessels can operate up to 100 nautical miles from shore, maintain a maximum 30 minute state-of-readiness, and are typically ready to respond the moment an alert is received.
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To date, 24 small vessels have been delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard as part of the small vessels construction pillar under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. This includes delivery of 14 SAR lifeboats, two channel survey and sounding vessels, seven hydrographic survey vessels and one coastal research vessel.
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The Government of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy is a long-term, multi-billion-dollar program focused on renewing the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy fleets to ensure that Canada’s marine agencies have the modern ships they need to fulfill their missions, while revitalizing Canada’s marine industry, creating good middle-class jobs and maximizing economic benefits across the country.
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Contacts
Matthew Dillon
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
613-992-3474
Media Relations
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
613-990-7537
Media.xncr@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
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