Carney commits $11B to build 6 icebreakers in Quebec

Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged $11.3 billion to Quebec's shipbuilding sector to construct six new icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. This represents the "largest" shipbuilding contract in the province's history, announced alongside Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette at the Chantier Davie shipyard in Lévis, Quebec.

The new vessels will replace the coast guard's aging heavy and medium icebreakers, fulfilling a 2019 promise. According to Carney, the first steel will be cut next fall, with the first ship delivered five years later, and the entire fleet operational five years after that. These icebreakers will operate in Atlantic Canada, the St. Lawrence, and the Arctic throughout the winter and summer.

Fréchette, facing a provincial election, emphasized the contract's importance for Lévis's economic sovereignty and the creation of skilled jobs in fields like welding and engineering. The vessels will adhere to the federal government's "Buy Canadian" procurement policy, constructed using Canadian steel. This announcement follows recent trade talks collapse with the United States and ongoing tariff threats from President Donald Trump against Canadian industry.

In 2024, Ottawa allocated $19.6 million to Davie under the national shipbuilding strategy for the design of the six new Polar Class 3 icebreakers. The coast guard is undergoing a significant fleet renewal, with 88 new vessels expected to be delivered by 2045 under the national shipbuilding strategy.