Prime Minister Mark Carney has revealed that the federal government will invest $11.3 billion into Quebec’s shipbuilding industry to construct six new icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. Carney described this as the most significant shipbuilding deal in Quebec’s history.
These new vessels will replace the aging heavy and medium icebreakers in the coast guard’s fleet, fulfilling a commitment made in 2019. Carney emphasized the urgency of the project, stating that construction will commence next fall, with the first ship expected to be completed in five years and the entire fleet operational five years after that.
During the announcement at the Chantier Davie shipyard in Lévis, Quebec, alongside Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette, Carney highlighted that the icebreakers will be utilized in Atlantic Canada, the St. Lawrence River during winter, and the Arctic during summer.
Fréchette, gearing up for a provincial election campaign, expressed her enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing its positive impact on Lévis. She noted that the contract will safeguard the province’s economic independence and generate employment opportunities in skilled trades like welding and technical professions.
Carney’s office confirmed that the project will create 5,000 jobs during the construction phase and emphasized that the icebreakers will be manufactured using Canadian steel, aligning with the federal government’s “Buy Canadian” procurement policy.
This announcement follows the breakdown of trade negotiations with the United States and recent tariff threats by President Donald Trump against Canadian industries. In 2024, Ottawa awarded Davie an initial $19.6 million contract under the national shipbuilding strategy to design the new Polar Class 3 icebreakers.
The Canadian Coast Guard is undergoing a substantial fleet modernization, with the national shipbuilding strategy aiming to deliver a total of 88 new vessels by 2045.