Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard is an agency of the Canadian Federal government.
The agency has been the responsibility of several different ministries. It was under the Ministry of Transport. Then it was under the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. On September 11, 2025, the Coast Guard was put underthe Ministry of Defence.[1][2] Public Safety Canada announced the Government planned to amend the Oceans Act to authorize Coast Guard vessels to conduct security patrols.[3]
Unlike the Coast Guards of other nations, like the United States Coast Guard, the Canadian Coast Guard is not a military or paramilitary organization.
The Canadian Coast Guard's fleet includes a half dozen heavy and medium icebreakers, and a dozen light icebreakers, and several dozen medium and small fishery patrol, oceanographic research vessels, and search and rescue vessels.
The Coast Guard's larger vessels mount light helicopters. The Coast Guard also has some independent air assets.
The Coast Guard's vessels patrol Canada's East and West coast, the Great Lakes, the Mackenzie River, the Gulf of St Lawrence and the Canadian Arctic.
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "Canada places its coast guard under the Ministry of Defence". marine forum. 2025-09-11. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
- ↑ Defence, National (2025-09-02). "National Defence Welcomes the Canadian Coast Guard to the Defence Team" (Press release). Canadian Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
- ↑ "The Strong Borders Act" (Press release). Public Safety Canada. 2025-06-03. Retrieved 2026-02-13.