Canadian Coast Guard

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 law enforcement, maritime search and rescue, communication, navigation and transportation issues in Canadian waters, such as navigation aids and icebreaking, marine pollution response and providing support other Canadian government initiatives. The coast guard operates over 200 vessels of varying sizes and over 110 aircraft, along with a variety of smaller craft. The Canadian Coast Guard is headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario and is a Special Operating Agency within Public Safety Canada (Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness).

## Role and responsibilities

The CCG is a government marine organization with law enforcement and search and rescue responsibilities. Naval operations in Canada's maritime environment are the sole responsibility of the Royal Canadian Navy and enforcement of Canada's maritime-related federal statutes are carried out by CCG officers as well as law enforcement officers from other federal, provincial and municipal law enforcement agencies. Maritime search and rescue is exclusively the responsibility of the CCG, however, Canadian Armed Forces personnel can be mobilised in support of domestic search and rescue operations, and the CCG and Inland Search and Rescue Corps have collaborated in the past to provide support for one another's operations when necessary.

CCG operate vessels in support of naval operations and serve an operational role in the delivery of maritime law enforcement and security services in Canadian federal waters, providing support for other law enforcement agencies if necessary. 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).

## Bases

### Western Region

* CCGB Victoria
* CCGB Inuvik

### Central and Arctic Region

* CCGB Rankin Inlet
* CCGB Prescott
* CCGB Iqaluit

### Atlantic Region

* CCGB Quebec
* CCGB Dartmouth
* CCGB St. John's

## Equipment

### Vessels

   The CCG operates over 200 vessels from its various bases. Of these vessels, 66 can be classified as cutters, dedicated patrol and search and rescue platforms of a displacement above 300 tonnes.

Canadian Coast Guard Cutters

### Aircraft

   The CCG operates 72 helicopters based out of various bases located in deep water ports, rescue stations in smaller minor ports and 28 ships equipped with aviation facilities like flight decks and/or hangars. There are also eight fixed-wing aircraft operated on behalf of Transport Canada and Environment Canada. Rotary-wing aircraft are used as ice reconnaissance platforms in the winter (operating from icebreakers and shore bases), while flying maintenance personnel and supplies for servicing aids to navigation and providing search and rescue and law enforcement capabilities year-round. Fixed-wing aircraft are flown in support of the Canadian Ice Service, conduct arctic sovereignty patrols, marine pollution surveillance and fisheries protection patrols as part of the Canadian government's National Aerial Surveillance Program and provide support for search and rescue and law enforcement operations.