Canadian Coast Guard Officially Opens New Hartley Bay Station and Dedicates CCGS Cadboro Bay into Service

HARTLEY BAY, BC, June 28, 2024 /CNW/ - The Canadian Coast Guard plays an essential role in ensuring the safety of mariners and protection of Canada's marine environment. Through the $3.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada is supporting that work and improving marine safety and protecting Canada's waters and coasts today, and for the future.

Last Tuesday, Canadian Coast Guard personnel and members of the Gitga'at First Nation celebrated the grand opening of the newly-constructed Canadian Coast Guard Station Hartley Bay funded under the Oceans Protection Plan and dedicated the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Cadboro Bay into service.

In an unprecedented partnership, the Canadian Coast Guard worked closely with the Gitga'at First Nation throughout the planning and construction of the new station, located on the southwest shore of Hartley Bay. The Hartley Bay station consists of a station building, a residence with sleeping quarters for six personnel, and a large  floating concrete breakwater.

The Canadian Coast Guard also held a dedication into service ceremony for the CCGS Cadboro Bay, which included the traditional breaking of a ceremonial bottle on the ship's bow. The CCGS Cadboro Bay is a high-endurance self-righting lifeboat that has been in operation in British Columbia since 2019. The vessel is one of 20 search and rescue lifeboats that are being constructed and delivered under the National Shipbuilding Strategy to provide the Canadian Coast Guard with safe, modern, and Canadian-made equipment needed to deliver programs and critical services to Canadians.

By tradition, a civilian is invited to sponsor a vessel for its well-being and continued service, and to wish the vessel "good luck." For the CCGS Cadboro Bay, the Canadian Coast Guard is proud to have three sponsors for a vessel for the first time in its history, representing each of the three clans of the Gitga'at First Nation. 

The Oceans Protection Plan is a Canadian success story. When Indigenous Peoples, industry, communities, scientists, and government work together to protect our people and environment, grow our economy, and support good jobs across the country, we deliver real results. A renewed and expanded Oceans Protection Plan will keep our oceans and coasts safe and healthy, advance reconciliation, and build a clean future for our children and grandchildren.

Quotes

"The importance of this new facility in Hartley Bay funded under the Government of Canada's Oceans Protection Plan, and the enhanced services the Canadian Coast Guard will provide from the station and the CCGS Cadboro Bay, reflects our close collaboration with the Gitga'at First Nation. The combined effort and partnership with First Nations and coastal communities will help keep mariners safer and protect our marine environment for years to come."

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard 

"The opening of this station is another important milestone for Canada's Oceans Protection Plan. Working together with Indigenous and coastal communities, the OPP continues to make shipping safer, protect our marine ecosystems, and improve how we prevent and respond to marine incidents." 

The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Transport 

"Since time immemorial, we have been the guardians of our waterways, looking out for the safety of our people and visitors in their time of need while travelling through our territory. This is part of our DNA and one of the cornerstones of our society; it is just who we are and what we do. In modern times, we are partners in search and rescue operations in our region with the Canadian Coast Guard and other Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue stations. This investment by the federal government to establish a Canadian Coast Guard Station in Hartley Bay will address a major gap in Canadian Coast Guard coverage between Prince Rupert and Bella Bella. We are very excited to take this relationship between the Gitga'at First Nation and the Canadian Coast Guard to the next level as we work side-by-side to provide an unparalleled level of protection for mariners and the environment in our region."

Bruce Reece, Chief Councillor, Gitga'at First Nation

"In partnership with First Nations, the Canadian Coast Guard works hard to protect the safety of mariners and the environment. As we celebrate together the opening of our new station in Hartley Bay, equipped with the CCGS Cadboro Bay, we can be proud in the knowledge of their lasting impact for the on water safety and security of nearby communities."

Mario Pelletier, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard

Quick Facts

• Hartley Bay is a strategic location for the new Canadian Coast Guard station, since the community is remote and accessible only by air or water. Members of the Gitga'at First Nation were the first responders to the sinking of the ferry Queen of the North in 2006.
• The Hartley Bay station consists of a station building, a residence with sleeping quarters for six personnel, and a large 17 x 52 m floating concrete breakwater. The modular station building is located on a concrete float, providing operations office space in close proximity to the response vessels. The residence is nearby within the community of Hartley Bay and has solar cells on its roof to help offset approximately 30 per cent of the building's total electrical demand.
• Since 2016, the Government of Canada has dedicated $3.5 billion to the Oceans Protection Plan, making it the largest investment Canada has ever made to protect its coasts and waterways.
• Under the Oceans Protection Plan, we have improved how Canada responds to marine emergencies to protect our coasts and Canadians at sea, including opening seven new Canadian Coast Guard stations across the country, and re-established the Canadian Coast Guard's Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
• The CCGS Cadboro Bay is 19 metres in length. It has a cruising speed of 14 and a half knots and a top speed of 25 knots. This high-endurance vessel can travel 250 nautical miles and is able to self-right if capsized.
• To date, 18 small vessels have been delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. This includes nation-wide delivery of 16 High-Endurance Search and Rescue lifeboats (Bay Class) and two Channel Survey and Sounding Vessels.
• Canadians rely on the Canadian Coast Guard to keep waterways safe for mariners, protect the marine environment and respond to calls for assistance 365 days a year. On an average day, the Canadian Coast Guard coordinates the response to 18 search and rescue incidents, assisting 47 people and saving 13 lives.

Related products

Backgrounder

CCGS Cadboro Bay Vessel Sponsors

By tradition, the Canadian Coast Guard invites a civilian to sponsor a vessel for its well-being and continued service, and to wish the vessel "good luck." For the first time in its history, the Canadian Coast Guard was proud to have three sponsors for the CCGS Cadboro Bay at its dedication ceremony on June 25, 2024. The CCGS Cadboro Bay will service the Douglas and Grenville channels, Estevan Sound, Caamaño Sound, Hartley Bay and the mid-Hecate Strait areas.

These vessel sponsors represent each of the three clans of the Gitga'at First Nation:

Albert Clifton, hereditary chief Wahmoodmx of the Gisbutwada (Killer Whale) clan of the Gitga'at Nation, was born and raised in Hartley Bay, British Columbia. The chief's name, Wahmoodmx, was bestowed upon Albert in 2005. Albert is a noted fisherman who has spent his whole life in the marine industry, fishing for salmon, herring, and halibut. During his lengthy career in the fishing industry, he traveled up and down British Columbia's coast and shares a great appreciation for protecting our waters. As a community leader, Albert believes that the responsibility for all mariners is the very essence of what the Canadian Coast Guard Station in Hartley Bay will provide: safety and protection for people as they travel in the community's waters.

Arnold Clifton, hereditary chief Wii Hai Waas of the Ganhada (Raven) clan of the Gitga'at Nation, was raised in Hartley Bay, British Columbia. Growing up in Hartley Bay, Arnold and others harvested many of the bounties that the Gitga'at territory and waterways provided for them. Growing up in a fishing community, Arnold was on fishing boats starting at the age of three and has been a captain since 1970. During Arnold's many years of service as the elected Chief for the Gitga'at First Nation, he was one of the driving forces behind the effort to have the Canadian Coast Guard station built in Hartley Bay. Following the sinking of the Queen of the North in 2006, where members of the Gitga'at First Nation were the first responders on the scene, Arnold felt strongly about improving Canadian Coast Guard coverage between Prince Rupert and Bella Bella. Arnold is very proud of the hard work by many to make that vision a reality.

Owen Green, hereditary chief Sinaxeet of the Laxsgiik (Eagle) clan of the Gitga'at Nation, was born in Kitimat, British Columbia. At the age of two, Owen's family moved to Prince Rupert, where he still lives today. Growing up, Owen looked forward to holidays and summers spent in Hartley Bay with his family. In October 2018, Owen was bestowed the hereditary chief title of Sinaxeet. He has worked for Water Taxi Services, the Prince Rupert grain terminal, and is currently a first mate on the Lax Kw'alaams ferry. Owen is still an avid hunter and fisherman who provides for his family.

Associated Links

• Protecting our coasts through the Oceans Protection Plan
• Report to Canadians - Results of the Oceans Protection Plan
• National Shipbuilding Strategy
• Start your career with the Canadian Coast Guard

Stay Connected

• Follow the Canadian Coast Guard on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region

Contacts: Jérémy Collard, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, [email protected]; Media Relations: Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard, Western Region, 604-666-1746, [email protected]