Government of Canada awards contracts to expand search and rescue capacity in Newfoundland and Labrador

OTTAWA, Feb. 25, 2019 /CNW/ - Under the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada is committed to improving marine safety and protecting Canada's marine environment and coastal communities.

To increase search and rescue capacity, construction is underway on two new search and rescue stations, located in Twillingate and Old Perlican, Newfoundland and Labrador. These areas were chosen based on identified gaps in the Coast Guard's maritime search and rescue capacity as well as an anticipated increase in vessel traffic.

Following open and competitive processes, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, awarded four contracts totalling $10.4-million (including taxes) to three Newfoundland and Labrador companies for harbour dredging, demolition and construction.

There will be 16 permanent jobs created with the Coast Guard, once the new stations in Twillingate and Old Perlican become operational. The new stations are expected to be completed in the summer of 2019.

Quotes

"The new Canadian Coast Guard search and rescue stations in Twillingate and Old Perlican will improve our ability to respond to marine emergencies and incidents of all kinds in the waters off of Newfoundland and Labrador. These stations, along with Coast Guard personnel, will make these waters safer for mariners."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

"Our government is proud to be investing in new search and rescue facilities for the Canadian Coast Guard. By awarding these contracts for new Canadian Coast Guard facilities, we are helping create and maintain good jobs in these communities, while supporting the highly trained members of the Canadian Coast Guard and the critical services they provide to Canadians."

The Honourable Carla Qualtrough
Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility

"I am delighted to see these contracts awarded for the new Canadian Coast Guard rescue stations in Newfoundland and Labrador. I am equally pleased to see one at Old Perlican. These stations will provide extremely important safety measures for our harvesters, mariners and marine workers. They will provide more ability for Coast Guard personnel to respond quickly and efficiently when the need arises. These contracts will also provide an economic boost to our province and bring good paying jobs."

Churence Rogers
Member of Parliament for Bonavista—Burin—Trinity

"We are delivering on our promise to create good jobs for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, and to make our oceans and coasts safer to navigate. I am proud to see that construction has begun on two new search and rescue stations, located in Twillingate and Old Perlican, Newfoundland and Labrador."

Scott Simms
Member of Parliament for Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame

Quick Facts

• Two contracts worth $2.1-million were awarded to Coady Construction & Excavating Limited, of Torbay, Newfoundland and Labrador. The company will dredge the harbours at both the Twillingate and Old Perlican stations and build new marginal wharves.
• Traytown Builders Limited, of Traytown, Newfoundland and Labrador, was awarded a $4.4-million contract to demolish a former RCMP building and to construct two new buildings at the new station in Twillingate.
• Chimo Construction Limited, of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, was awarded a $3.8-million contract to construct two new buildings at the new station in Old Perlican.
• Under the Oceans Protection Plan, seven new search and rescue stations will be opened in strategic locations in Newfoundland and Labrador and in British Columbia, to improve response capacity to all-hazard marine incidents and increase coverage in order to keep mariners safe and protect the marine environment. There are currently 41 search and rescue lifeboat stations across Canada.

Associated Links

• Canadian Coast Guard
• Expanding capacity in environmental response and search and rescue
• Oceans Protection Plan

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SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada

For further information: Jocelyn Lubczuk, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, 343-548-7863, [e-mail]; Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-990-7537, [e-mail]

Related Links

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca