PM Carney announces $11B deal to build six icebreakers in Quebec

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced that the federal government will invest more than $11 billion to build six new icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard at Chantier Davie in Lévis, Quebec. The government says it is the largest shipbuilding contract in Quebec’s history.

The new vessels will replace the Coast Guard’s aging heavy and medium icebreakers and will support missions including Arctic operations, search and rescue, environmental response and keeping key waterways open during the winter. The ships will be built using Canadian steel and other domestic materials under the federal government’s Buy Canadian policy.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with the first ship expected to be ready within five years. The full fleet is expected to be in service by 2038. The project is expected to create nearly 5,000 jobs during the construction phase and contribute about $650 million annually to Canada’s GDP, according to the federal government.

Carney made the announcement alongside Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette at the Davie shipyard. The investment comes shortly after Canada suspended trade negotiations with the United States amid escalating tariff tensions, with the federal government emphasizing greater economic independence and domestic industrial capacity.