A look inside the Canadian Coast Guard Academy

Where learning becomes life changing

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Our history

The Canadian Coast Guard Academy, formerly named the Canadian Coast Guard College, was founded in 1965. It was the beginning of a proud legacy that has spanned 60 years and is set to continue for decades to come.

As we celebrate this milestone, we’re reflecting on the institution’s rich history and its enduring impact.

The Canadian Coast Guard Academy is a state-of-the-art maritime training facility. It’s located in Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island, in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaw People.

From 1965 to today, the institution has changed and grown significantly. It broke new ground by welcoming its first women in the 1970s. In the decades that followed, it evolved into a global training ground—drawing students from the Commonwealth Caribbean, the UAE, and Kuwait. By the 2010s, it was bringing international partners together at a coast guard forum, reinforcing its role as a hub for maritime leadership and collaboration. And most recently in 2025, the institution changed its name from Canadian Coast Guard College to Canadian Coast Guard Academy.

Canadian Coast Guard College timeline

1964

Minister of Transport J.W. Pickersgill announces the government’s plan to establish an officer training college for the Canadian Coast Guard.

1965

The Canadian Coast Guard College officially opens on the former Point Edward Naval Base. It offers Marine Engineering and Navigation Officer training programs to post-secondary students.

1969

The first class graduates from the College, with 19 officers joining the fleet.

1973

The Canadian Coast Guard College welcomes women into the Officer Training Program.

1977

Rita Simek, Barbara Gibson, Linda Fudge, and Fern Walker become the first women to graduate from the College and serve on Canadian Coast Guard vessels across Canada.

1978

Mia Hicks graduates from the College and becomes Canada’s first woman marine engineer. She later became the first woman Chief Engineer in the Canadian Coast Guard fleet.

1981

The Canadian Coast Guard College moves to its current Westmount location.

1985

Canadian Coast Guard College graduate Miriam Van Roosmalen becomes the Canadian Coast Guard’s first woman Commanding Officer, captaining the CCGS Kenoki.

“My experience at the Canadian Coast Guard College was extraordinary as I was an officer cadet of the ‘old school’ which was only a three-year program at that time. Getting to know so many other officer cadets from across this great country of ours was a particular bonus. It wasn't an easy place to be, but by golly, it was interesting! So interesting that I made a career of it and stayed on for a total of 42 years.”

Miriam Van Roosmalen, Alumni, Canadian Coast Guard College Class of 1979

1986

The Canadian Coast Guard College completes construction on:

Foster and Hopkins waterfront buildings
boat storage area
marine training pavilion

1987

The College hosts part of the Canada Winter Games, which were held across Cape Breton County from February 14 to 28.

1988

The L.S. St-Laurent marine engineering training building opens.

1995

The Canadian Coast Guard College partners with Cape Breton University to offer a Bachelor of Technology in Nautical Science as part of the Officer Training Program.

1997

The Canadian Coast Guard College begins the Marine Communications and Traffic Services training program.

“At the Canadian Coast Guard College, I discovered a career in Marine Communication Traffic Services that gives me passion and inspires my hopes. I made connections with students, instructors and staff from all over the country that will last a lifetime.”

Kyle Hickey, Marine Communications and Traffic Services training program Class of 2023

2000

Marine Maintenance and Equipment training starts at the College, now known as Electronics and Informatics Technical Training.

2003

The first officers from United Arab Emirates, Majed Al Kaz and Saleh Hemiary, graduate from the Officer Training Program.

2014

The College hosts coast guard partners for the annual North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum experts meeting. This is the first time since the Forum’s launch in 2007 that Canada has hosted the international conference.

2022

The Canadian Coast Guard College acquires a state-of-the-art Wärtsilä training engine. It’s the first of its kind in Canada.

2023

The John Adams Library undergoes major renovations.

2024

The Indigenous Gathering Space opens.

The Canadian Coast Guard signs an agreement with the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden, to collaborate on maritime education and research.

2025

The institution renames itself the Canadian Coast Guard Academy, a name that highlights its specialized and state-of-the-art training programs.

Where we are today

The Canadian Coast Guard Academy is one of the best-equipped marine training institutions in the world.

“Upon arrival, Officer Cadets and trainees are welcomed into an environment built for success. With access to state-of-the-art training facilities, specialized curricula, and the guidance of dedicated faculty and staff, they are well-equipped to excel on their path to becoming leaders in the maritime field.”

David Gerbasi, Director of Studies of the Canadian Coast Guard Academy

Welcoming about 80 officer cadets each year, the Academy delivers a 4-year Officer Training Program and a 6-month Marine Communications and Traffic Services training program. It also supports continuing education for fleet and shore-based operation personnel. The Academy develops and delivers courses in the areas of:

search and rescue
electronics and informatics technical training
marine engineering and navigation
ship’s logistics and second language training
marine environmental and hazardous response

World-class education

The Academy is home to modern learning facilities and simulators that offer students a world-class education.

“As the first female Sciences Instructor in the Officer Training Program at the [Academy] 24 years ago, I have witnessed the evolution of education at this special facility and been inspired by a new generation of engineers and navigators.”

Jennifer Rice, Mathematics Instructor, Canadian Coast Guard Academy

Indigenous Gathering Space

The Indigenous Gathering Space celebrates and honours First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples’ rich:

history
culture
art

It’s a special and welcoming environment. It helps the Academy support Indigenous practices and strengthen relations with Indigenous Peoples.

Waterfront facility

The Academy’s waterfront facility includes the Foster and Hopkins waterfront buildings and a fleet of small craft training vessels. Students and Canadian Coast Guard members use these vessels to practice on-water operations.

L.S. St-Laurent marine engineering training building

The marine engineering training building helps our future engineers practice their skills to prepare for work on a ship. The building includes:

Wärtsilä and MTU training engines
a marine propulsion plant simulator
machining and welding equipment

“I love the Marine Engineering program because it provides me with a hands-on learning experience and training both at the [Academy] and at sea.”

Paige Baker, Officer Cadet, Marine Engineering, Canadian Coast Guard Academy Class of 2025

John Adams Library

The John Adams Library’s collection is focused on nautical science and technology. It’s bilingual and supports the Academy’s academic programs.

Planetarium

The planetarium provides celestial navigation training. This critical skill can be lifesaving during a power outage while at sea.

State-of-the-art simulators

Students train on several specialized simulators at the Academy. They gain the hands-on skills they need to safely work onboard Canadian Coast Guard ships.

Wärtsilä training engine

The state-of-the-art Wärtsilä training engine simulates the diesel engine found on several Canadian Coast Guard vessels. It features:

a control room
equipment
operating systems

It helps students and personnel to learn how to:

operate such an engine
repair it
rebuild it

Marine navigation simulator

The marine navigation simulator helps students learn how to:

respond to real-life scenarios on a ship’s bridge
maneuver vessels in different weather and sea conditions

This simulator can also portray any port or body of water in the world and has 8 different ships’ bridges to practice on.

Ice simulator

The ice simulator replicates polar water conditions. It allows students to learn icebreaking services, including how to:

breakout harbours
escort vessels through ice
prevent flooding

Clubs and community

Fostering a strong community is important to the Canadian Coast Guard Academy. It achieves this by offering a wide range of activities.

“I chose the Canadian Coast Guard [Academy] for navigational skills, but I remember the [Academy] for the community: from the cleaning and security staff to the smiles in the Galley, from the instructors to the Sydney friends who made sure I experienced the warmth of the Cape Breton colours and hospitality. These people made the ‘Atlantic bubble’ home away from home.”

Catherine (Buschhaus) Christensen, Canadian Coast Guard, Western Region

Wellness Centre and Sports Complex

The Wellness Centre and Sports Complex provides:

a music room
a squash court
a 25-metre swimming pool
outdoor sports fields
lunchtime fitness classes

Clubs and sports

Clubs and sports activities are an important part of the officer cadet experience. Cadets plan and organize their own activities and clubs. Some of the favourites include:

a tech club
a skateboard paint club
golf and hockey tournaments

Music band

The Canadian Coast Guard Academy also has a band, which performs at events such as:

ceremonial divisions
graduation ceremonies

Positive Space Committee

The Positive Space Committee trains officer cadets and Academy employees to become ambassadors for positive space, fostering support and allyship for 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Some of the committee’s activities include:

participating in annual pride parades
organizing talks with guest speakers
hosting presentations

Local community

The Canadian Coast Guard Academy is dedicated to serving its local community. Officer cadets participate in local:

Canada Day activities
Halloween patrols
Remembrance Day services

Officer cadets and members of the Academy also work with municipal and provincial emergency responders during states of emergency and after major storms, like Hurricane Fiona.

The next 60 years

Over the past 60 years, the Academy has created some of the best marine training programs in the world. It has modernized its training to prepare officer cadets and current crews for larger and more complex vessels.

“As a graduate from the Canadian Coast Guard [Academy] myself, I speak from personal experience when I say the [Academy] is a national centre for educational excellence. It feels like only yesterday I was arriving at the [Academy] for the first time, excited to learn and get out on the water. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of watching the [Academy] grow and modernize into a world-class learning institute, equipping generations of officers to safeguard Canada’s coasts. I am so proud of everything the [Academy] has been able to achieve and look forward to seeing it continue to build Canada’s future maritime leaders. Bravo Zulu!”

Mario Pelletier, Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard, Canadian Coast Guard Academy Class of 1989

Over the next 60 years, the Academy will continue to evolve to:

meet the needs of the Canadian Coast Guard’s future fleet
remain a leading centre of training and innovation in maritime education

The Canadian Coast Guard Academy is working on curricula to address new technologies and the increasing demands of maritime safety. For example, next year it will launch new training programs for environmental response officers for the Canadian Coast Guard.

Currently under development, with its launch expected in the near future, the Academy will be able to offer firefighting training to Canadian Coast Guard employees. A new on-campus building for the training is currently under construction.

New name

In honour of its enduring legacy and continued excellence, the Canadian Coast Guard College is renamed to the Canadian Coast Guard Academy. This new name reflects the institution’s commitment to delivering specialized, state-of-the-art maritime:

education
training
services

The change recognizes what the Academy offers to officer cadets and Canadian Coast Guard personnel—an environment of excellence, leadership, and innovation in maritime service.

There is a bright future ahead for the Canadian Coast Guard Academy. Learn more about the Canadian Coast Guard Academy.

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2026-01-30

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A look inside the Canadian Coast Guard Academy

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