TWO NEW DEDICATED MARINE RESPONSE VESSELS FOR CANADA

Two new dedicated marine response vessels for Canada. The Government of Canada and the Quatsino and Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nations have announced the arrival and launch of two new dedicated response vessels under the Canadian Coast Guard’s Indigenous Community Boat Volunteer Pilot Programme. The Quatsino and Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nations are members of the Coastal Nations Coast Guard Auxiliary, and work and train with the Canadian Coast Guard, providing marine response within their respective traditional territories.

Under the Oceans Protection Plan, the Canadian Coast Guard’s Indigenous Community Boat Volunteer Pilot Program provides communities with funding to purchase boats that are built for their specific needs and marine environment. To date, 35 Indigenous coastal communities across the country have received over $10 million in total funding to purchase or repair boats and related equipment.

Coastal British Columbia Nations have a long history of responding to marine emergencies and hold extensive traditional knowledge of the local waters and conditions in their traditional territories. The Coastal Nations Coast Guard Auxiliary is Canada’s first all-Indigenous Coast Guard Auxiliary, with more than 50 members from Ahousaht, Heiltsuk, Gitxaala, Nisga’a, Kitasoo Xai’xais, Quatsino and Kyuquot/Cheklesahht First Nations.

The Quatsino First Nation’s new response vessel, the Quatsino Spirit, is a 27-foot vessel capable of cruising at 44.5 knots. The new vessel is already in service, with members of the Coastal Nations Coast Guard Auxiliary from the Quatsino First Nation participating in two recent search and rescue training exercises with the Canadian Coast Guard on the CCGS John P. Tully.

The Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation will support search and rescue in the waters around the Great Bear Rainforest in their new response vessel, the Ksm Wutsi’in (Mousewoman), a 30-foot vessel capable of cruising at 25 knots.

The $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan is the largest investment ever made to protect Canada’s coasts and waterways. This national plan is strengthening Canada’s world-leading marine safety system, providing economic opportunities for Canadians today, while protecting our coastlines and clean water for generations to come. This work is being done in close collaboration with Indigenous peoples, local stakeholders and coastal communities.

Quick facts

• Quatsino First Nation has received $368,215.00 under the Indigenous Community Boat Volunteer Pilot Programme for a dedicated response vessel and safety equipment.
• Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation has received $252,114.00 under the Indigenous Community Boat Volunteer Pilot Programme for a dedicated response vessel and safety equipment.
• The Coastal Nations Coast Guard Auxiliary (CN-CGA) was sponsored by the Government of Canada and incorporated in mid-2018 with the purpose of providing organized voluntary marine search and rescue services in remote coastal areas of British Columbia.
• The CN-CGA is an all-Indigenous volunteer organisation that augments the marine search and rescue capacity in federally mandated waters as official partners of the Canadian Coast Guard.
• CN-CGA volunteers are trained in cold water rescue, search techniques, marine first aid, inter-agency communications protocols, and the use of specialised rescue equipment by the Canadian Coast Guard. CN-CGA members also exercise and train on the water with the Canadian Coast Guard and other first responders in their communities, and are on-call to respond to marine emergencies 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year in remote areas along the B.C. coastline.
• The objective of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary programme is to provide strategically located, trained and qualified members and vessels that are prepared and available to support Canadian Coast Guard activities.
• Since the Oceans Protection Plan started in November 2016, over 50 initiatives have been announced in the areas of marine safety, research and ecosystem protection that span coast-to-coast-to-coast.