Minister Lebouthillier visits Chantier Naval Forillon to highlight the National Shipbuilding Strategy

GASPÉ, QC, Feb. 25, 2025 /CNW/ - The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, visited Chantier Naval Forillon (CNF) to see the work in progress and highlight a significant milestone for the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).

During this visit, Minister Lebouthillier had the opportunity to go on board the 10th and final search and rescue lifeboat under construction at CNF. This vessel is part of a larger contract that was awarded in July 2015 to CNF and Hike Metal Products Ltd. for the construction and delivery of a total of 20 search and rescue lifeboats, valued at $178.9 million. These boats are delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard and represent a major milestone in the renewal of Canada's maritime fleet under the NSS.

CNF is also progressing in the construction of a new near-shore fishery research vessel, scheduled for delivery to the Canadian Coast Guard in June 2027. The design work is well underway, and production is expected to begin in late May 2025. This contract, valued at $55.5 million under the NSS, will create and maintain up to 90 highly specialized and well-paid jobs in the region.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the NSS. Since 2010, Canadian shipyards have delivered 8 large vessels and 34 small vessels to the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard, with 6 more large vessels under construction. NSS contracts awarded between 2012 and 2023 are estimated to have contributed approximately $30 billion ($2.3 billion per year) to Canada's gross domestic product and have created or maintained over 20,400 jobs per year between 2012 and 2024.

Quotes

"As part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, we're placing particular emphasis on the future of the Canadian Coast Guard, providing it with modern, reliable vessels that will play a vital role in keeping Canadians and our waters safe. By working hand in hand with shipyards like Chantier Naval Forillon and Hike Metal Products, we're creating direct jobs for the people of our region and providing a real boost to the local economy. This initiative is much more than a project, it's an engine of development for our communities. "

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

"The achievements of Chantier Naval Forillon demonstrate the success of the National Shipbuilding Strategy in promoting innovation, creating jobs and ensuring the safety of our waters. By collaborating with Chantier Naval Forillon, we have modernized our maritime fleet, while creating well-paid local jobs and stimulating the regional economy."

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant

"The National Shipbuilding Strategy allows small and medium-sized businesses like ours to have a longer-term vision, which facilitates the hiring and retention of workers in the sector. It also enables us to work on and invest in innovative technologies that ensure the Canadian fleet is at the forefront and our shipyards are more efficient."

Jean-David Samuel
President and Chief Executive Officer, Chantier Naval Forillon

Quick facts

• The Government of Canada's NSS is a long-term, multi-billion-dollar program aimed at renewing the fleets of the Canadian Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy to ensure that Canada's maritime agencies have the modern ships they need to fulfill their missions, while revitalizing Canada's marine industry, creating middle-class jobs and maximizing economic benefits across the country.
• Quebec shipyards and businesses play an important role in supporting the federal government's shipbuilding needs. Contracts awarded under the NSS in Quebec are valued at approximately $4.5 billion, representing 12.50% of the total value of contracts awarded under the NSS. These contracts have provided significant and long-term opportunities for skilled workers across the province.
• To date, 28 small vessels have been delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard under the NSS. This includes the delivery of 18 search and rescue lifeboats, 2 channel survey and sounding vessels, 7 hydrographic survey vessels and 1 coastal research vessel.
• Search and rescue lifeboats are specially designed, equipped and crewed for search and rescue operations at sea. These vessels can operate up to 100 nautical miles from shore, are ready to respond within 30 minutes and can usually be deployed as soon as an alert is received.
• The Near-shore fishery research vessel, the first hybrid diesel-electric vessel of the Canadian Coast Guard, is a specialized ship that will be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies in fisheries, oceanography and hydrography.

Associated links

• National Shipbuilding Strategy
• Search and rescue lifeboats
• Near-shore fishery research vessel

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SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada

Contacts: Mathis Denis, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, 343-573-1846, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Services and Procurement Canada, 819-420-5501, [email protected]