Icebreaking Program - Canadian Coast Guard

The Icebreaking Program helps commercial vessels travel efficiently and safely through, or around, ice covered waters. The Icebreaking Program also provides information about ice conditions for marine shipping.

Eligibility Criteria

The Program benefits a number of clients including:

• operators of commercial vessels;
• operators of fishing vessels;
• Arctic residents;
• port operators; and
• the general public.

Eligible Activities

Services are provided for:

• providing ice information and ice-routing advice to the marine industry;
• providing close escort of vessels and freeing ships surrounded by ice;
• maintaining open tracks through ice that is firmly attached to the shore;
• monitoring ice conditions and water levels, as well as flood-control and ice-management operations;
• re-supplying isolated northern settlements;
• maintaining a federal presence in the Arctic during the navigation season; and
• breaking out approaches to ports and clearing ice from wharf faces (where commercial icebreaking services are not available).

Summary

Seasons of operation include:

Winter (mid-December to May): 17 icebreakers open routes along Canada's east coast from Newfoundland to Montréal, in the Great Lakes and other shipping channels.

Summer (June to early November): six icebreakers operate in the Arctic, assisting shipping, delivering cargo to some isolated communities, maintaining a sovereign presence and conducting essential science missions.

The Canadian Coast Guard has published service standards that describe which icebreaking services are offered, where and when they are available, and details on how quickly they can respond to your request.

Your Responsibility

Every ship of 100 tons gross tonnage or over, navigating in Canadian waters in which ice may be encountered, is required to carry, and make proper navigational use of the Canadian Coast Guard publication Ice Navigation in Canadian Waters.

The document is in two parts:

• Part I, Operating in Ice, pertains to operational considerations such as communications, reporting, advisories, and icebreaker support.
• Part II, Additional Information for Navigation in Ice-Covered Waters, is educational in nature, with information provided to help familiarize watchkeepers with the Canadian ice environment, navigation procedures in ice, and vessel performance in ice.

The document is available in both official languages from any authorized Canadian Hydrographic Service Chart Dealer. The catalogue number is T31-73/1999E; the ISBN number is 0-660-17873-7. A list of dealers is available on the Canadian Hydrographic Service Web site.

To download publications in PDF format, Adobe Reader is required (available free of charge).

Manitoba Contact(s):
See National Contact.

 

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National Contact(s):
Manager, Icebreaking Program
Canadian Coast Guard
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
5th Floor
Centennial Towers
200 Kent Street
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0E6
Fax: 613-990-5541 / 1-800-920-7767
E-mail: ice-glace@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/home-accueil_e.htm
Hours of operation: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday (Eastern Time).