Government of Canada awards contract for refit work on Canada's largest icebreaker

GATINEAU, QC, March 8, 2022 /CNW/ - Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the Government of Canada is providing members of the Canadian Coast Guard with the equipment they need to safely and effectively do their important work to serve Canadians.

On behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, Public Services and Procurement Canada has awarded a $14.36 million contract ($16.5 million including taxes) to Chantier Davie of Lévis, Quebec, for vessel life extension (VLE) work on the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Louis S. St-Laurent, Canada's largest icebreaker.

This follows an Advance Contract Award Notice issued on October 29, 2020, in which Canada signalled its intention to enter into a contract with Chantier Davie. The shipyard was identified as the only facility in Eastern Canada with a dry dock large enough to perform this work.

Work will begin in the spring of 2022 and will include inspections, regulatory maintenance and equipment upgrades to extend the operational life of the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent until a new ship comes into service. The scheduled VLE work will take place over a 3-month dry-docking period in 2022.

Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the Government of Canada is delivering important benefits for Canadian shipyards and suppliers across Canada. This contract was awarded under the repair, refit and maintenance component of the strategy, which continues to provide opportunities for the Canadian marine sector. It will help to create or maintain approximately 50 jobs at Chantier Davie.

Quotes

"The National Shipbuilding Strategy continues to provide important economic opportunities for shipyards right across Canada. Canada's skilled shipbuilding workforce is helping us repair and maintain our fleets, while supporting economic growth across the country."

The Honourable Filomena Tassi
Minister of Public Services and Procurement

"Members of the Coast Guard have the critical responsibility of ensuring mariners' safety and that of the marine environment. The Louis S. St-Laurent has helped keep Canadian waters safe for navigation for more than 50 years, and this work will ensure the Coast Guard can continue this important work, season after season, in dangerous and icy conditions."

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

"This announcement is another testament to the invaluable expertise of Davie's workers. Once restored, the Louis S. St-Laurent will continue to proudly serve Canada, ensuring the safety of maritime traffic, the delivery of essential supplies, and the transportation of our Coast Guard members to remote areas of Canada for decades to come."

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Québec

Quick facts

• The CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent provides critical icebreaking and emergency response services in Canadian waters. Its home port is in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
• This work on the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent is part of the Canadian Coast Guard's VLE program. The VLE program prolongs the operations of the Coast Guard fleet, including the Louis S. St‑Laurent, in order to maintain existing service levels before new ships come into service.
• Work on the vessel could include inspections, auxiliary equipment renewals, propeller renewal, exhaust lagging renewal, piping renewal, and hull and superstructure painting.
• Additional VLE work is planned over the next few years, so that the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent can continue to deliver critical icebreaking services and serve Canada throughout the next decade.
• In May 2021, the Government of Canada announced it will move forward with the construction of 2 polar icebreakers under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. This procurement approach will ensure at least 1 polar icebreaker is delivered by 2030 when the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent is expected to retire from service.
• As of September 2021, the Government of Canada has awarded approximately $20.87 billion of National Shipbuilding Strategy-related contracts across the country. Of this value, approximately $2.59 billion, or 12.42%, has been awarded to companies in Quebec.

Associated links

National Shipbuilding Strategy
Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent
Chantier Davie
Buy&Sell
Advance Contract Award Notice
Government of Canada issues Advance Contract Award Notice for vessel life extension of Canada's largest icebreaker

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SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada

Olivier Pilon, Office of the Honourable Filomena Tassi, 613-323-6621, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Services and Procurement Canada, 819-420-5501, [email protected]