The Canadian Coast Guard plays an essential role in ensuring the safety of mariners and protection of Canada’s marine environment. This is why providing Canadian Coast Guard personnel with the vessels they need to continue to deliver these critical services to Canadians through the National Shipbuilding Strategy is a priority for the Government of Canada.

“I am honoured to welcome the CCGS La Poile Bay into service, as the Government of Canada continues to renew Canada’s federal fleet through the National Shipbuilding Strategy. This investment will allow Canadian Coast Guard search and rescue personnel to have state-of-the-art equipment to help respond safely, efficiently and effectively to rescue incidents.”

 - The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

“The importance of these Bay-class Search and Rescue vessels cannot be overstated. That’s because, when distress calls come in, it’s the Canadian Coast Guard that answers. As Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso and lifelong resident in the riding, I know CCGS La Poile Bay is a reassuring presence to rural, coastal Canadians who makes their living on the sea and a great comfort to their loved ones onshore.”

 - Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

“It is a great day for our personnel and Canadians to have the CCGS La Poile Bay dedicated to service. These search and rescue lifeboats help us keep our waters safe for mariners and support our marine environmental response capabilities. Vessels like these allow the Canadian Coast Guard to deliver critical services to protect mariners and the marine environment.”

 - Mario Pelletier, Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard

• The CCGS La Poile Bay is classed as a search and rescue lifeboat, which can maintain a speed up to 25 knots, and has a crew of four. 

• CCGS La Poile Bay was accepted into the Canadian Coast Guard fleet in August 2021. This marks the tenth vessel delivered under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. 

• A series of 20 search and rescue lifeboats are being built by Chantier Naval Forillon (Gaspé, Quebec) and Hike Metal (Wheatley, Ontario) (10 per shipyard). 

• The lifeboats are informally referred to as “Bay Class” vessels, as each one is named after a Canadian bay.

• These shore-stationed self-righting lifeboats were built to provide key search and rescue services, including: 

  • conducting searches on water
  • responding to marine distress calls
  • providing assistance to disabled vessels
  • operate up to 100 nautical miles from shore
• Each year, the Canadian Coast Guard responds to over 6,000 calls for marine assistance. On an average day, the Canadian Coast Guard coordinates the response to 19 search and rescue incidents, assists 68 people and saves 18 lives.

• The new search and rescue lifeboats contribute to Canada’s blue economy by keeping our waters safe for mariners and supporting environmental response operations to reduce the impacts of marine pollution in our waters.

Associated links

• Search and Rescue Lifeboats
• National Shipbuilding Strategy
• The Canadian Coast Guard at 60
• Start your career with the Canadian Coast Guard

For more information:

Claire Teichman
Press Secretary 
Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans
and the Canadian Coast Guard
604-679-5462
Claire.Teichman@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Media Relations
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maritimes Region
902-407-8439
media.maritimesregion@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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