Prime Minister Mark Carney has unveiled a significant investment of $11.3 billion by the federal government into Quebec’s shipbuilding sector to construct six new icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. This project is deemed the most extensive shipbuilding agreement in the history of the province. The upcoming ships will replace the current heavy and medium icebreakers in the coast guard’s fleet, which was a commitment made in 2019.
Carney emphasized the expediency of the project, stating that the initial steel cutting will commence next fall, with the first vessel scheduled for delivery in five years and the entire fleet operational within a decade. These icebreakers are designated to operate in various regions, including Atlantic Canada, the St. Lawrence River during the winter, and the Arctic during summer.
The announcement was made in collaboration with Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette at the Chantier Davie shipyard in Lévis, where all six icebreakers will be fabricated. Fréchette, on the brink of a provincial election campaign, hailed the contract as a boon for Lévis, emphasizing its role in safeguarding the province’s economic independence and fostering employment opportunities in trades like welding and technical services.
Carney highlighted that the project will generate 5,000 job opportunities during the construction phase. The vessels will adhere to the federal government’s “Buy Canadian” procurement policy and will be constructed using domestically sourced steel, as confirmed by Carney’s office.
This announcement follows recent trade tension with the United States, culminating in collapsed talks and tariff threats from President Donald Trump against Canadian industries. In 2024, Ottawa awarded an initial contract of $19.6 million to Davie under the national shipbuilding strategy to design the six new Polar Class 3 icebreakers. The Canadian Coast Guard is undergoing a substantial fleet modernization, with the national shipbuilding strategy overseeing the delivery of a total of 88 new vessels by 2045.