The Canadian Coast Guard has officially welcomed CCGS Cascumpec Bay into service in Shippagan, New Brunswick, marking another milestone for Canada’s maritime safety network and the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
Built by Chantier Naval Forillon in Gaspé, Quebec, and delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard in December 2024, the vessel has already been supporting search and rescue operations from its home port in Shippagan. Its official dedication now recognizes both its operational role in northern New Brunswick and the completion of the National Shipbuilding Strategy’s delivery of 20 new Bay Class High Endurance Search and Rescue Lifeboats.
For communities that rely on the water for their livelihoods, the vessel strengthens the Coast Guard’s ability to respond quickly when mariners need assistance most.
“The CCGS Cascumpec Bay gives Canadian Coast Guard crews another modern, Canadian-built vessel to carry out their lifesaving work. From Shippagan to communities across the country, these crews are there when mariners need them most. Investing in the vessels they rely on strengthens our search and rescue capabilities while supporting Canadian workers and our shipbuilding industry,” said the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence.
The dedication ceremony brought together Serge Cormier, Member of Parliament for Acadie-Bathurst, Canadian Coast Guard personnel and community members to celebrate the vessel’s official entry into service. It also highlighted the broader impact of Canada’s investment in a modern, domestically built search and rescue fleet.
“As we welcome the CCGS Cascumpec Bay into service, we are demonstrating what it means to build a stronger and more sovereign Canada. Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, we are strengthening the Canadian Coast Guard’s ability to protect our waters and communities while investing in Canadian workers, shipyards and industrial expertise. By building these vessels here in Canada, we are creating good jobs, strengthening our supply chains and developing the expertise our country will rely on for generations to come. This is how we protect our maritime sovereignty while building a stronger and more resilient Canadian economy,” said the Honourable Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Services and Procurement.
With all 20 Bay Class Search and Rescue Lifeboats now delivered through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Canadian Coast Guard crews across the country are equipped with modern, Canadian-built vessels designed to carry out critical search and rescue operations. The program has also supported skilled Canadian jobs while strengthening the country’s shipbuilding and marine industries.
For Shippagan and the surrounding Acadie–Bathurst region, the vessel represents an investment in both public safety and the communities that depend on the sea.
“Here in Shippagan and throughout Acadie–Bathurst, the water is at the heart of our communities, our economy and our way of life. The CCGS Cascumpec Bay will strengthen our search and rescue capacity and, most importantly, help keep our fishers and mariners safe. Proudly built in Canada, this new vessel represents an important investment in the safety and future of our coastal communities,” said Serge Cormier, Member of Parliament for Acadie-Bathurst.
Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner Kevin Brosseau noted that although the vessel has already been serving the region since becoming operational, its formal dedication celebrates an important Coast Guard tradition while recognizing the crews who put these vessels to work every day:
“Today, we celebrate the traditional milestone of dedicating the CCGS Cascumpec Bay into service. Since it became operational, the vessel has meant safer waters for everyone who earns a living or travels along our coasts, backed by the incredible men and women of the Canadian Coast Guard who are equipped with the modern vessels and tools they need to bring mariners home safely.”
