NUNAVUT
The Arctic is getting its own chapter of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary thanks to funding for an Oceans Protection Plan announced by the federal government on Nov. 7.

Canadian Coast Guard Ship Des Groseilliers escorts the cargo ship Anna Desgagnes through Frobisher Bay. A $1.5-billion national Oceans Protection Plan, announced Nov. 7, will bring increased Coast Guard presence to the Arctic. - NNSL file photo

"The Coast Guard Auxiliary is a great asset for the Coast Guard," said Mario Pelletier, deputy commissioner of operations for the Canadian Coast Guard. "It responds to about 25 per cent of the search-and-rescue calls across Canada."

There are already 25 Coast Guard Auxiliary members in Nunavut. This new plan is to split the existing Central and Arctic Coast Guard Auxiliary and create an auxiliary specific to the North.

"We've already been on the ground and we know which communities are more ready to go," Pelletier said.

Training will be expanded so auxiliary members are able to support environmental response situations.

"It's an expansion on what we are doing but it's also focused on creating the capacity within the communities to engage early."

The Oceans Protection Plan combines ongoing efforts of Transport Canada, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Environment Canada, and will provide over $1.5 billion in funding over five years for Canadian marine initiatives, beginning in 2017.

"There's new money, so there is going to be new people, more people, more tools, more equipment, more opportunity for engagement, whether it's search-and-rescue, whether it is environmental response, whether it is icebreaking services," said Pelletier.

The plan includes expansion of the icebreaking season, to ensure that Coast Guard services are available in Northern regions for as long as commercial traffic is travelling.

"We already have 19 environmental response equipment caches in the Arctic. We are looking at renewing all the equipment at those caches, and providing more training so if there is an environmental spill people can deploy equipment and start the response right away."

On the whole, the plan's priorities will see that prevention and response measures are increased in Canada's marine safety system, that marine ecosystems and habitats are protected and restored, and new technology and research are used when dealing with shipwrecks and oil spill cleanup. The Oceans Protections Plan also emphasizes the importance of collaborating with indigenous coastal communities.

"Indigenous coastal communities share ties to Canada's oceans that span generations. They rely on them as a source of livelihood, food security, and valuable transportation routes," stated the news release. "They are often the first to respond to marine emergencies and can be the most affected when a marine pollution incident occurs. They have valuable insights and expertise to contribute."

In the Arctic, this collaboration is focused on resupply efforts and industrial export.

"Approximately 95 per cent of goods in the North are carried by ships, including the majority of natural resources leaving the Arctic, as well as the re-supply of essential goods to Northern communities," stated Daniel Savoie, spokesperson for Transport Canada.

Currently, most resupply operations take place on publicly used shorelines with limited or no infrastructure and no established port authority.

The investment is meant to make Arctic resupply operations faster, safer and more efficient for remote communities.

This includes building a seasonal in-shore rescue boat station in the Arctic - the very first permanent search-and-rescue capacity in northern Canada, stated Savoie.

A community boat program is also being launched in indigenous communities in B.C. in 2017, to increase search-and-rescue response capacity. Plan is that the program will later expand to the Arctic.

Funding will also go toward improving navigation information for communities and mariners, via hydrography and charting, as well as new research on what the impacts of shipping will be as commercial access to Northern waters increases.