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The federal government is putting more than $11 billion behind the largest shipbuilding contract in Québec's history, tasking Chantier Davie Canada Inc. with building six program icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard.
Why it matters: The order replaces the Coast Guard's aging heavy and medium icebreaker fleet and cements Canada's position as home to NATO's largest icebreaking fleet, at a moment when Ottawa is leaning on major procurement to build domestic industrial capacity.
The details:
All six vessels will be built at Davie's Lévis, Québec shipyard under the government's Buy Canadian Policy, using Canadian steel and materials.
The program is expected to create nearly five thousand jobs during construction and contribute close to $650 million annually to Canada's GDP.
Construction begins in 2027, with the first ship in service five years later and the full fleet delivered by 2038.
The vessels will be Polar Class 3 icebreakers, built to handle missions ranging from search and rescue and environmental response to Northern resupply and Arctic science support.
What they're saying:
Prime Minister Mark Carney said the icebreakers will help keep Canadian trade routes secure. "Built in Lévis by Canadian workers, they are a lasting investment in a stronger, more self-reliant Canada," he said.
Defence Minister David J. McGuinty said the ships will strengthen Canada's Arctic presence and give the Coast Guard capability it needs for decades to come.
Joël Lightbound, minister of government transformation, public works and procurement, said the contract builds on Davie's track record and will translate into economic benefits in Québec and across the country.
By the numbers:
$7.74 billion in Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy contracts Davie has held since 2012
$19.6 million awarded to Davie in 2024 for initial design work on the six icebreakers
$3.25 billion (before tax) awarded to Davie in 2025 for the Polar Max, a separate heavy icebreaker build
Background: Ottawa first announced plans to procure six new program icebreakers in 2019 under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. In 2024, Canada signed the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort Pact with the United States and Finland to coordinate on Arctic and polar icebreaker design, construction and maintenance.
Zoom out: The announcement fits a broader push Ottawa is framing around economic sovereignty, including expansion at the Port of Montréal's Contrecœur terminal and the Port of Québec, alongside major procurement across armoured vehicles, submarines and icebreakers.
