资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

August 26, 2019

Shippagan, New Brunswick – The Government of Canada is currently putting in place an arrangement to support icebreaking activities in Northern New Brunswick this winter.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for Acadie-Bathurst Serge Cormier, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

The arrangement to be put in place will enable the Coast Guard to call up third party icebreakers on an as-needed basis, to open local harbours for fishing activities. Harbour breakout is undertaken when ice conditions allow for fisheries to be safely conducted outside of the harbours. This initiative will support the opening of the spring fisheries in the Gulf of St. Lawrence  at the crucial time when icebreaking demand is at a peak.

The Coast Guard fleet continues to be responsible for icebreaking activities in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The Canadian Coast Guard fleet provides icebreaking, escort, and ice management services to support the safe and efficient movement of people and goods across Canadian waters. When additional capacity is needed in the short term, it can use a Supply Arrangement in the St. Lawrence Seaway and on the Great Lakes, where private sector ships can be contracted for short periods of time. A similar type of arrangement is what is envisioned for Northern New Brunswick. The fleet was recently further enhanced with the procurement of the three interim icebreakers, one of which will be assigned to icebreaking in the Gulf this winter as well.