August 19, 2026 – Shippagan, New Brunswick – National Defence / Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) has officially welcomed the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Cascumpec Bay into service, strengthening search and rescue capacity in northern New Brunswick and helping crews respond quickly to mariners in distress.
Today, Serge Cormier, Member of Parliament for Acadie-Bathurst, joined Canadian Coast Guard personnel and community members in Shippagan, New Brunswick, to dedicate the CCGS Cascumpec Bay into service. The dedication marks an important milestone for the vessel and the National Shipbuilding Strategy, which has delivered 20 new high endurance search and rescue lifeboats to the CCG.
The CCGS Cascumpec Bay was built by Chantier Naval Forillon in Gaspé, Quebec, and delivered to the CCG in December 2024. Since then, it has been operating out of Shippagan, New Brunswick, supporting search and rescue operations in the region.
With all 20 Bay Class Search and Rescue Lifeboats now delivered through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, CCG crews across the country are equipped with modern, Canadian-built vessels to carry out critical search and rescue operations. Their construction has also supported skilled Canadian jobs and strengthened Canada’s shipbuilding and marine industries.
Quotes
"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."
The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence
“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.”
The Honourable Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Services and Procurement
“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.”
Serge Cormier, Member of Parliament for Acadie-Bathurst
“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.”
Kevin Brosseau, Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard
Quick facts
Clarence Savoie, the vessel’s sponsor, had the honour of officially bestowing the CCGS Cascumpec Bay with its name and wishing “fair winds and good fortune” to all who will sail on the vessel, marking the beginning of its service and enduring legacy. Clarence Savoie is a highly respected member of the Acadian communities in northern New Brunswick, known for his extensive marine knowledge and strong connections to the marine environment.
In 2018, Chantier Naval Forillon Inc of Gaspé, Quebec, and Hike Metal Products Ltd of Wheatley, Ontario, were awarded the construction of four new Bay Class Search and Rescue Lifeboats each, in addition to the existing contract awarded in 2015 to build six Bay Class Search and Rescue Lifeboats each. The total value of the contracts for these lifeboats was $180 million.
The CCG’s new Search and Rescue Lifeboats are specifically designed, equipped, and crewed to respond to incidents at sea. These vessels are self-righting and can operate up to 120 nautical miles from shore, always maintaining a maximum 30-minute state-of-readiness with a typical ability to respond the moment an alert is received.
The CCG’s high-endurance Search and Rescue Lifeboats are referred to as “Bay Class” vessels, as each one is named after a Canadian bay under the Vessel Naming Policy.
The CCG keeps waterways safe for mariners, protects the marine environment, and responds to approximately 6,000 calls for marine assistance each year.
To date, 30 small vessels have been delivered to the CCG under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. This includes 20 Search and Rescue Lifeboats, two Channel Survey and Sounding Vessels, seven Hydrographic Survey Vessels and one Coastal Research Vessel.
The Government of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy is a long-term, multi-billion-dollar program focused on renewing the CCG and Royal Canadian Navy fleets. The Strategy enables Canada’s marine agencies to have the modern ships they need to fulfill their missions while revitalizing Canada’s marine industry, creating good middle-class jobs, and maximizing economic benefits across the country.