Renew the Canadian Coast Guard fleet.

What success looks like

Enhanced protection and improved safety of Canadians along Canada's coasts.

Government's narrative on progress

Through the Oceans Protection Plan and re-investments in the Canadian Coast Guard, the government has significantly enhanced support to the Coast Guard fleet. Specifically, the government is working to enhance the world-leading marine safety system that protects Canada’s coasts. It is also committed to ensuring that the Canadian Coast Guard has the equipment it needs to prevent potential marine pollution incidents. In August 2018, a contract was awarded for a three-year lease of two emergency offshore towing vessels to assist in towing vessels in distress off the Pacific coast. Both vessels entered into service in December 2018. Additionally, a contract was awarded to buy emergency tow kits for Coast Guard vessels and equipment caches across Canada. Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), the government has started renewing Canada's federal fleet so that needed vessels are delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard in a timely and affordable manner. Construction is underway on all three Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels (OFSVs), the first of which is expected to be delivered in summer 2019. Four of 20 new Search and Rescue (SAR) lifeboats have been delivered to help keep Canadians and Canadian waterways safe. Delivery of the fifth and sixth SAR lifeboats is expected by summer 2019. The Government of Canada has decided to re-sequence the construction of the Coast Guard’s Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel (OOSV). Seaspan will complete the construction on the first of two Navy Joint Support Ships (JSS) prior to commencing construction on the Coast Guard’s OOSV. This change in sequence decision will build on the progress that is currently underway on JSS1 and allow time between construction of the first and second JSS to incorporate time for “lessons learned”. Construction of the OOSV is expected to commence in late 2020 and is expected to be delivered in 2024. On August 10, 2018, the Government of Canada issued a contract to Chantier Davie of Lévis, Quebec, for the acquisition and conversion of three medium commercial icebreakers. On August 27, 2018, the vessels arrived in Canada. The vessels will provide interim icebreaking capability for the Canadian Coast Guard while existing ships are removed from service for repairs and until replacement vessels are delivered under the NSS. The first medium icebreaker was accepted into service on December 14, 2018. The second and third icebreakers are currently undergoing conversion at Davie, and will enter into service in 2019 and 2020 respectively. Additionally, in February 2019, Canada released a Request for Information to inform a future Request for Proposal process for the acquisition of one light icebreaker to support interim operational requirements. The government is also investing to: repair and modernize many of the Coast Guard's vessels with new technology and towing equipment, enhance collaborations between the Coast Guard with Indigenous communities, and harness cutting edge science and technology to understand ocean currents, real-time shipping movements and threat monitoring. To advance the development of National Repair, Refit and Maintenance and Small Vessel Construction program strategies, Public Services and Procurement Canada hosted a series of four regional workshops (November 2017 – April 2018). In November 2018, a Federal Marine Procurement Outlook session was held to provide industry with the status and proposed disposition of action items heard in the regional workshops. The results of these workshops will be used to identify opportunities to improve and streamline the procurement processes. The NSS continues to generate significant economic benefits across the country. As of December 31, 2018, the Government of Canada has awarded more than $9.75-billion of National Shipbuilding Strategy-related contracts across the country. Contracts awarded to date through the NSS will contribute an estimated $10.9 billion of gross domestic product, and create or maintain more than 10,000 jobs annually in the Canadian economy during the period of 2012-2022. NSS shipyards also continue to engage with small and medium Canadian enterprises to award contracts for NSS-related projects. Given the scope and complexity of the construction of vessels, delivering on-time and on-budget presents implementation challenges that must be closely monitored and managed.

Note: this is the government's own description, not an independent assessment.