Safety tips to remember around and on the ice on the St. Lawrence river and seaway

Quebec City (QC) – The Canadian Coast Guard, Central and Arctic Region, and Quebec's ministère de la Sécurité publique, would like to warn residents that it may be dangerous to venture out onto the ice on the St. Lawrence River and Seaway when an icebreaker is escorting vessels or clearing ice from the navigation channel.

Since Sunday, the CCGS Martha L. Black icebreaker has been clearing the ice and escorting five commercial vessels out of the Seaway, which will take a few days. The Seaway will then be closed for the rest of the winter. Ice movement could occur and pose a real danger to anyone in those vessels’ operational area. Structures on the ice may also be affected by icebreaking operations.

Therefore, the Coast Guard strongly recommends that pedestrians, fishers and snowmobilers leave the ice when they see icebreakers in the immediate vicinity. 

Coast Guard icebreakers have a red hull with a transverse white band and a white funnel bearing a maple leaf.

- 30 -