The announcement of major investments in shipbuilding was made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on April 4th, 2023, at the Davie shipyard in Levis, Quebec. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot)
Negotiations with newly added Chantier Davie shipyard to the multibillion-dollar shipbuilding strategy of the federal government will determine when the fleet of new icebreakers will be delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard.
The existing icebreakers of the Coast Guard are prone to breakdowns and costly to maintain, with an average age of over 40 years. Little delay is allowed if the current icebreaking capabilities have to be maintained, as they are essential for trade and to resupply northern communities, according to Auditor General Karen Hogan’s report last year.
While the government’s decision to buy three second-hand icebreakers from Davie will help in the interim, building new icebreakers is a time-consuming process, even without the added complications of negotiations, as per University of Calgary professor Rob Huebert.