Arctic Marine Response Station in Rankin Inlet open for the season

June 21, 2024

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories - The Canadian Coast Guard’s Arctic Marine Response Station (AMRS), formerly known as the Inshore Rescue Boat North (IRBN) station, in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, is now open for the season.

The AMRS opened in 2018, establishing it as the first Canadian Coast Guard search and rescue facility in the Arctic. The station is crewed by Indigenous staff, hired and trained by the Canadian Coast Guard. It represents a significant milestone under Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan, which is improving marine safety in Arctic waters in collaboration with Indigenous communities. 

In Rankin Inlet, the AMRS crew is an important part of the marine emergency preparedness and response system, working together with the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, Inuit communities, and other northern organizations to increase maritime safety in the Arctic. 

The AMRS crews are trained and equipped to respond to distress calls such as, but not limited to, medical emergencies, missing persons/boaters, vessels aground, vessels taking on water, and disabled vessels.

Marine emergencies can be reported 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, toll-free at 1-800-267-7270 or by VHF radio (channel 16).

The AMRS will close for the season on October 22, 2024.