Through the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada is working in partnership with Indigenous coastal communities to improve marine safety. As part of this plan, in 2017 the Canadian Coast Guard launched the Indigenous Community Boat Volunteer Pilot Program. This program provides Indigenous communities with funding to purchase boats and equipment to build up their on-water search and rescue capacity. These investments allow Indigenous communities to take concrete steps to strengthen their capacity as part of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary.
The safety of mariners and the protection of the marine environment are top priorities of the Canadian Coast Guard. The Coast Guard’s Aids to Navigation Program helps mariners confirm their positions, stay inside navigable channels and avoid marine hazards.
The Canadian Coast Guard helps keep Canada's waters safe, clean, and more accessible to keep our economy moving. In support of these missions, the Coast Guard operates a fleet of 22 helicopters. These helicopters and pilots provide support to ships engaged in critical maritime work including aids to navigation, environmental response, icebreaking operations, and in support of search and rescue as needed.
The Canadian Coast Guard operates a fleet of 22 helicopters to support critical marine services such as aids to navigation, marine communications and traffic services, icebreaking operations, environmental response and search and rescue when needed. The acquisition of the new full-flight helicopter simulator supports training of Coast Guard helicopter pilots to fly its fleet of light-lift and medium-lift helicopters using the most advanced technology of its kind.
Today, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced the successful removal of approximately 60 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and diesel from the MV Schiedyk, a historic shipwreck that posed a significant threat to the marine environment in the area of Nootka Sound, British Columbia.
The Government of Canada is committed to removing wrecked, abandoned or hazardous vessels that pose a threat of pollution to the marine environment, impact coastal communities and pose a health and safety risk to Canadians.
The safety of mariners and the protection of the marine environment are top priorities for the Canadian Coast Guard. Our Inshore Rescue Boat stations enhance our ability to respond to emergencies in Canadian waters.
The Government of Canada is committed to maritime safety, providing essential services to mariners, and ensuring the health and safety of all Canadians. The Canadian Coast Guard’s annual Arctic icebreaking season allows the safe and efficient movement of vessels and goods in northern waters, which is key to community resupply. Coast Guard’s presence in Canada’s Arctic also provides key services, including search and rescue, support for scientific research, marine communications and traffic services, aids to navigation, and marine environmental response.
Through the Oceans Protection Plan, the largest investment ever made to protect Canada’s coasts, the Government of Canada is working in partnership with Indigenous coastal communities to improve marine safety for mariners. As part of this plan, in 2017 the Canadian Coast Guard launched the Indigenous Community Boat Volunteer Pilot Program. This program provides Indigenous communities with funding to purchase boats and equipment to build up their on-water search and rescue capabilities. These investments allow Indigenous communities to take concrete steps to strengthen their capacity as part of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary.
The following 8 Indigenous coastal communities have received a total of $2 million funding to purchase boats and related equipment under the fourth year of the Indigenous Community Boat Volunteer Pilot Program.
