The future CCGS Imnaryuaq will be the biggest polar icebreaker ever built in Canada, establishing a commanding presence year-round in Canada’s Arctic sea
Oct. 14, 2026 — North Vancouver. B.C — “I now declare the keel well and truly laid,” exclaimed the Hon. Jill McKnight, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, alongside Kevin Brosseau, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence and Commissioner for the Canadian Coast Guard, and Braeden Caley, MP for North Vancouver-Capilano, at Seaspan Shipyards (Seaspan).
Today, the dignitaries joined Seaspan and more than 2,500 of its employees for the ceremonial keel laying event for the Canadian Coast Guard’s future CCGS Imnaryuaq — the biggest polar icebreaker ever designed and built in Canada, for Canada.
To begin the ceremony, Squamish Nation members brushed the ship’s keel with cedar boughs and sang a blessing song as part of the sacred, traditional Coast Salish cleansing and purification ceremony. As explained by Sekyu Siyam’ Chief Ian Campell, the intention is to brush away negativity, clear unwanted energy, provide protection and invite balance and good health.
For the keel laying, two coins designed by Indigenous artists from the Squamish and Inuit nations were selected, including a commemorative coin from the Royal Canadian Mint chosen by the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG). Featuring powerful imagery, the designs on the coins signify protection of the vessel from both sky and sea standing for vigilance, resilience and a shared commitment to seeing every voyage through safely.
A significant milestone in a ship’s construction, the coins were placed near the hull of the heavy polar icebreaker by Hitam Treadwell, Rigger Chargehand at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards, and Jeff Neilson, Acting Senior Director Vessel Procurement, Engineering Services, CCG, where they will remain for the duration of the ship’s life, bringing good luck to the builders and all those who sail on the vessel in the decades to come.
This milestone builds on the official start of construction for the future CCGS Imnaryuaq in April 2025, marked by the cutting of steel for the vessel’s first polar block. Less than two years later, the vessel is taking shape at an accelerating pace, bringing Canada one step closer to welcoming its next heavy polar icebreaker in the early 2030s.
The future CCGS Imnaryuaq is incredibly complex, designed to operate self-sufficiently in the high-Arctic year-round. Once delivered, it will play a critical role in enabling the Canadian Coast Guard to transit and operate in more than 162,000km of Arctic coastline. As one of the only Polar Class 2 vessels in the world, it will be able to operate farther north, in more difficult ice conditions and for longer periods than any icebreaker in Canada to date, further supporting Canada’s Arctic sovereignty.
CCGS Imnaryuaq is the seventh ship to be designed and built by Seaspan under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). It will also be the fifth Polar Class vessel to be built for the CCG, and one of up to 21 icebreaking vessels overall that Seaspan is constructing.
In addition to designing, building and delivering state-of-the-art ships, Seaspan is also delivering significant socio-economic benefits to Canada as a result of the NSS. Seaspan is delivering tangible industrial and regional benefits to the marine industry across Canada, creating thousands of jobs, leveraging a supply chain of more than 800 Canadian suppliers from coast-to-coast, and generating more than $5.7 billion in GDP contributions to Canada since 2011.
QUICK FACTS
The polar icebreaker will be 158 metres long and 28 metres wide, with a design displacement of 26,036 tonnes, and will accommodate a crew of up to 100 personnel and feature diesel electric propulsion with Polar Class 2 icebreaking capability.
Highlights of key design features, include
IACS Polar Class 2 (PC2) Heavy Icebreaker
47 MW of installed power
Ice-classed azimuthing propulsion system
Complex, multi-role mission capability
Scientific Laboratories
Moon Pool (to allow for safe deployment of equipment from within the ship)
Helicopter flight deck and Hangar
Vehicle Garage and future Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) capability
The capabilities of this Polar Class 2 icebreaker will help sustain a 12-month presence in Canada’s North in support of Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, high-Arctic science (including climate change research), Indigenous Peoples and other northern communities, and the ability to respond to major maritime emergencies including search and rescue.
Seaspan has already gained significant experience designing and building Polar Class vessels including three Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels which are now in service with the Canadian Coast Guard; an Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel that was delivered to the CCG in 2025; and up to sixteen Multi-Purpose Icebreakers (also Polar Class).
Seaspan is one of the most modern shipyards in North America, following its privately funded $200m+ shipyard modernization, development of a skilled workforce and state-of-the-art, purpose-built infrastructure to deliver large, complex vessels.
Seaspan’s NSS supply chain has grown to more than 800 Canadian companies from coast-to-coast, resulting in more than $3 billion in contracts.
QUOTES
“As an Arctic nation, Canada must have the capability to assert its sovereignty where and when it matters most. The future CCGS Imnaryuaq will strengthen northern communities, support critical operations, and enhance scientific research. Today’s milestone is a testament to the skilled Canadians whose work is helping build both a world-class vessel and a stronger, more resilient Canada.”
Jill McKnight, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
“Today’s keel laying is an important step forward in the renewal of the Canadian Coast Guard fleet, as well as a meaningful demonstration of our ongoing partnership with Inuit. The CCGS Imnaryuaq, named to honour Inuit placenames and culture, will be a world-class icebreaker that will protect Arctic sovereignty and serve Canadians and communities across Inuit Nunangat for generations to come.”
Kevin Brosseau, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence and Commissioner for the Canadian Coast Guard
“For workers on the North Shore, Imnaryuaq represents not only how we can protect Canadian sovereignty for a new era, but also a new apprenticeship, a strong career, and proof that Canada can build big again. Today’s keel laying is a celebration of the workers whose skill and dedication are helping build a world-class vessel right here in North Vancouver and ensuring we strengthen our economy for years to come.”
Braeden Caley, Member of Parliament for North Vancouver-Capilano
“Today, Seaspan Shipyards is celebrating the future flagship vessel of the Canadian Coast Guard’s reinvigorated icebreaker fleet. The future CCGS Imnaryuaq, when complete, will be Canada’s biggest, most powerful icebreaker ever to be constructed right here, in Canada. We are tremendously proud to be showcasing the capability of our workforce from world-class engineering to the skillset needed to weld steel thick enough to go through Arctic ice. Seaspan is building our nation’s future and providing the Canadian Coast Guard with the ships they need to ensure Canada’s security and sovereignty.”
John McCarthy, CEO, Seaspan Shipyards
“The keel laying of the future CCGS Imnaryuaq marks a significant milestone for Seaspan, the Canadian Coast Guard, and Canada. As the largest icebreaker ever built entirely in Canada, and the most powerful icebreaker in the nation’s history, this vessel represents the strength of a truly national effort. Through the NSS, Seaspan is strengthening Canada’s marine industry, advancing a resilient coast-to-coast supply chain and delivering lasting economic benefits across the country. With each block assembled, we are reinforcing Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic and equipping the Canadian Coast Guard with the next generation of icebreakers needed to protect and serve Canadians.”
Leo Martin, COO, Vancouver Shipyards
About Seaspan Shipyards
Seaspan is a leader in Canada’s ship design, engineering, building and ship repair industry. With modern facilities and a dedicated workforce of more than 5,000 people in North Vancouver and Victoria, the company has proven itself to be a trusted and strategic partner on a range of complex projects for both government and the private sector.
Noah Note: A monumental moment for Canada’s future Icebreaking fleet. Imnaryuaq will of course be joined by the future CCGS Arpatuuq as the centerpieces of Canada’s Arctic fleet, both of whom will be among the most powerful non-nuclear Icebreakers ever conceived. While ceremonys like these might remind to some that we are still a ways away, they are milestones that should be clearly celebrated for the progress we are making.
By the end of it, Canada will have among the largest, most advanced Icebreaking fleets of Earth, supported by a proper Icebreaker ecosystem capable of supporting itself from design to construction. That means something to me, and the fact we are jumping there from where we are now? That's impressive in its own right.