Ottawa, Ontario - Canadians rely on the Canadian Coast Guard to keep waterways safe for mariners, protect the marine environment and respond to calls for assistance 365 days a year. On an average day, the Canadian Coast Guard coordinates the response to 19 search and rescue incidents, responds to 13 search and rescue incidents, assisting 43 people and saving 13 lives. This is why providing Canadian Coast Guard personnel with the vessels they need to continue to deliver these critical services to Canadians is a priority for the Government of Canada.
Today, the Canadian Coast Guard marked the delivery of the 11th and 12th Search and Rescue lifeboats, the CCGS Chignecto Bay and CCGS Shediac Bay, built by Chantier Naval Forillon from Gaspé, Quebec and Hike Metal Products Ltd from Wheatley, Ontario, respectively.
The delivery of the CCGS Chignecto Bay and CCGS Shediac Bay marks the beginning of the homestretch for the construction and delivery of 20 Search and Rescue lifeboats under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. This achievement is an important step in providing the Canadian Coast Guard with safe, modern, and Canadian-made equipment needed to deliver critical services on behalf of Canadians.
The CCGS Chignecto Bay will be stationed in Port Bickerton, Nova Scotia, where as the CCGS Shediac Bay will be stationed in Saint John, New Brunswick.
These vessels will provide search and rescue services including searches on the water, responding to marine distress calls, as well as provide assistance to disabled vessels. The vessels are also equipped to perform environmental response operations to reduce the impacts of marine pollution incidents.
