The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG; French: Garde côtière canadienne – GCC) is the coast guard of Canada. Formed in 1962, the coast guard is tasked with marine search and rescue, communication, navigation and transportation issues in Canadian waters, such as navigation aids and icebreaking, marine pollution response and providing support for other Canadian government initiatives. The coast guard operates 119 vessels of varying sizes and 22 helicopters, along with a variety of smaller craft. The Canadian Coast Guard is headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, and is a Special Operating Agency within Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Department of Fisheries and Oceans).

Role and responsibility

Unlike armed coast guards of some other nations, the CCG is a government marine organization without naval or law enforcement responsibilities. Naval operations in Canada's maritime environment are exclusively the responsibility of the Royal Canadian Navy. Enforcement of Canada's maritime-related federal statutes may be carried out by peace officers serving with various federal, provincial or even municipal law enforcement agencies.

Although CCG personnel are neither a naval nor law enforcement force, they may operate CCG vessels in support of naval operations, or they may serve an operational role in the delivery of maritime law enforcement and security services in Canadian federal waters by providing a platform for personnel serving with one or more law enforcement agencies. The CCG's responsibility encompasses Canada's 202,080-kilometre (109,110 nmi; 125,570 mi) long coastline, the longest of any nation in the world. Its vessels and aircraft operate over an area of ocean and inland waters covering approximately 2.3 million square nautical miles (7.9×106 km2).

Mission and mandate

"Canadian Coast Guard services support government priorities and economic prosperity and contribute to the safety, accessibility and security of Canadian waters.

The CCG's mandate is stated in the Oceans Act and the Canada Shipping Act.

The Oceans Act gives the minister of Fisheries and Oceans responsibility for providing:

•           aids to navigation;

•           marine communications and traffic management services;

•           icebreaking and ice-management services;

•           channel maintenance;

•           marine search and rescue;

•           marine pollution response; and

•           support of other government departments, boards and agencies by providing ships, aircraft and other services.

The Canada Shipping Act gives the minister powers, responsibilities and obligations concerning:

•           aids to navigation;

•           Sable Island;

•           search and rescue;

•           pollution response; and

•           vessel traffic services.