Arctic glaciers serve as namesake for 2 future coast guard vessels

A ceremonial good-luck coin has been welded into the keel of one of the Canadian Coast Guard's two future Arctic and offshore patrol ships — both of which will be named after glaciers.

The names of the CCGS Donjek Glacier and the CCGS Sermilik Glacier were announced Wednesday at Halifax's Irving Shipbuilding, where the keel of the Donjek Glacier is already complete.

The Donjek Glacier is named after a glacier in Yukon's Kluane National Park. The Sermilik Glacier's namesake is found in Nunavut's Sirmilik National Park — and its name is an Inuktitut word meaning "place of glaciers."

Once fully built, the primary purpose of these two ships will be to support fisheries enforcement and surveillance missions along Canada's East Coast. 

As a secondary function, the ice-ready ships will be able to both assist in search-and-rescue missions and icebreaking operations and also strengthen Canada's position in the Arctic, Dartmouth-Cole Harbour MP Darren Fisher said at the unveiling.

"We want to ensure that the Canadian Coast Guard has everything they need to protect Canada's marine environment while ensuring our country's sovereignty by maintaining a strong presence in our water, especially in the Arctic," Fisher said. 

The two vessels are being built as part of the country's national shipbuilding strategy. The contract was first announced in May 2019 and construction of the Donjek Glacier began in August 2023. 

The ships will replace two of five similar patrol vessels in the Canadian Coast Guard's fleet.

As of the end of 2023, more than $26.5 billion in total contracts had been awarded under the strategy.

Broader emphasis on Arctic security

Canada has been putting greater emphasis on Arctic security.

Earlier this month at the NATO summit in Washington, Canada announced a pact with the United States and Finland to build icebreakers for the region. 

Russia has 40 icebreakers, with more in production, and China considers itself a "near Arctic power."

Also at the NATO summit, Defence Minister Bill Blair said that Canada is taking the first steps to procure up to 12 conventionally powered, under-ice submarines to replace the aging Victoria-class fleet. 

Following the release of the defence policy update in the spring, both Blair and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated it's a matter of when Canada begins buying new submarines — not if.

The Canadian government also confirmed its purchase of a strategically located 21,000-square-foot aircraft hangar in Inuvik, N.W.T., earlier this month for $8.6 million.

The move received praise from northerners and security experts after foreign buyers showed interest in the hangar. 

As reported by CBC in June, Canada is in talks with Germany and Norway for a trilateral security pact focused on the North Atlantic and Arctic waters. As part of these talks, Canada has been invited to join a submarine procurement program involving the two other friendly nations. 

The German-Norwegian partnership is expected to begin delivering boats in 2026, but that date remains in flux.