Canada has awarded Chantier Davie an 11.3-billion-Canadian-dollar contract to construct six Polar Class 3 icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. The program is designed to renew Canada’s aging icebreaking fleet and improve access to northern and coastal waters.The new vessels will take over duties currently performed by older heavy and medium icebreakers. Their missions will include winter operations around Atlantic Canada, the St. Lawrence waterways, and the Great Lakes, followed by Arctic assignments during the summer months.Polar Class 3 vessels are designed to work in second-year ice environments, giving the Coast Guard a stronger capability for operations in difficult seasonal conditions.Davie is expected to begin steel cutting for the lead vessel at its Lévis facility in 2027. Delivery is planned for 2032, with all six ships scheduled to be completed by 2038.The construction program is expected to generate close to 5,000 jobs and contribute approximately C$650 million annually to the Canadian economy. The vessels will be assembled domestically under Canada’s Buy Canadian policy, including the use of locally produced steel and other components.The contract is part of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, which seeks to deliver as many as 88 vessels for the country’s maritime organizations by 2045. Davie had previously received a design contract for the Polar Class 3 program in 2024.The company is also building the larger Polar Class 2 heavy icebreaker CCGS Arpatuuq under a separate C$3.25 billion agreement. Together, the programs represent a major expansion of Canada’s domestic icebreaking capability.The initiative also complements cooperation between Canada, the United States, and Finland on Arctic icebreaking and regional security.
