Canadian Coast Guard

Coast Guard Activities

• Marine Navigation Systems
  • provides, operates and maintains a system of aids to navigation; and waterways development and maintenance, as well as ensuring protection of the public right to navigation and protection of the environment.
    
    
• Marine Communications and Traffic Services
  • provides distress & safety communications and co-ordination, vessel screening to prevent the entry of unsafe vessels into Canadian waters, regulation of vessel traffic movements, and management of an integrated marine information system and public correspondence service.
    
    
• Icebreaking
  • provides route assistance for vessels operating in ice-infested waters, ice routing information, support to harbours and facilities, and flood control services.
    
    
• Rescue, Safety and Environmental Response
  • provides marine search and rescue and emergency preparedness capabilities; promotes boating safety to the marine public; and responds to pollution incidents from shipping through oversight of private-sector cleanup, or in certain cases direct spill response management.
    
    
• Technical and Operational Services
  • provide engineering, technical, and operational services to program branches and the operators in the regions for CCG ships, systems and CCG sector specific facilities.
    
    

Coast Guard Clients

• the Canadian public, which expects the provision of preventative measures to minimize the possibility of marine pollution, and an emergency response capacity to deal with environmental issues of local, regional, national and international concern. It depends on the federal government to play a lead role in ensuring that appropriate measures are taken to prevent and reduce the adverse effect of pollution incidents on the marine environment. All Canadians also require assurance of marine systems that provide for the safety of all types of marine activity, and an effective search and rescue capability;
  
  
• the fishing industry, which expects reliable distress and safety communications, efficient navigation systems and an effective communications network. Increasing emphasis is also being placed by this group on the importance of the CCG's environmental protection mandate. Marine pollution, particularly from large source spills, can have a devastating impact on their ability to earn a living;
  
  
• the marine commerce sector, for example, commercial shipping, ferry traffic, the cruise industry, etc. Services provided by the government in support of marine transportation remain an essential element in maintaining Canada's competitive position in overseas markets. Users expect to have a fair and meaningful say in the levels of services provided, and to play a contributory role in determining how costs will be levied for such services. Stakeholders expect reliable distress and safety communications, efficient navigation systems, icebreakers to provide access to icebound Canadian ports, timely ice routing, integrated marine traffic information services and a competent communications network. Equally important are the services provided by the Coast Guard as a part of the basic marine safety system which allows all vessels to use Canada's waters safely;
  
  
• the recreational boating sector, which, as an important and specific element of the Canadian marine population, expects emergency response to threats to safety and the environment and similar services to those required by marine commercial clients with respect to aids to navigation and marine communications and traffic services, including the distress and safety services. Like stakeholders in the marine commercial sector, recreational boating clients want a fair and meaningful say in the levels of services provided and the use of any revenues generated, especially in the areas of boating safety awareness and Search and Rescue (SAR) prevention promotion;
  
  
• DFO programs (Fisheries Management, Science etc.), which expect cost efficient and appropriate fleet services and pertinent, reliable marine traffic information to assist in the delivery of their program plans;
  
  
• other government programs which expect efficient and appropriate fleet services which are cost effective and meet their requirements. Activities include conducting oceans based research, fisheries enforcement, RCMP (drug interdiction) etc. Furthermore these programs rely heavily on marine traffic information disseminated by marine communications and traffic services in support of their respective activities.
  
  
• international marine community which expects continued leadership from Canada in the areas of environmental assessment, SAR and marine communications and traffic services.
  
  

CCG Fleet