The Canadian Coast Guard officially became part of the Department of National Defence this week, marking a significant restructuring of Canada’s maritime security operations as the government works to strengthen coordination across its defense agencies.
The integration, formalized through an Order in Council, brings the Coast Guard’s 126-vessel fleet — including icebreakers, patrol ships, and search and rescue boats — under the defense umbrella while maintaining the agency’s civilian status.
“This transition is an important step that will allow us to better coordinate our efforts at sea, strengthen our response to new and evolving threats, and ensure the safety and security of Canadians,” said Defence Minister David J. McGuinty in a statement Monday.
The Coast Guard will continue operating as a civilian Special Operating Agency with no changes to its core missions of search and rescue, icebreaking, environmental response and ocean science. However, the government has proposed expanding the agency’s mandate to include maritime security activities under Bill C-2, currently before Parliament.
The move comes as Canada faces increasing pressure to strengthen Arctic sovereignty and maritime domain awareness. Coast Guard Commissioner Mario Pelletier called the integration “a historic step” that will “strengthen our collaboration, enhance our capabilities, and improve our service to Canadians.”
Key personnel from Fisheries and Oceans Canada are also transitioning as part of the reorganization, designed to improve information sharing and operational coordination between defense agencies.
Read: Canada Joins NATO’s 2% Club as Alliance Hits Record $1.4 Trillion Spending
The integration is expected to particularly benefit operations in the Arctic, where the Coast Guard’s icebreaking capabilities are essential for maintaining Canadian sovereignty in increasingly contested northern waters.
The restructuring coincides with Canada meeting NATO’s defense spending target of 2% of GDP for the first time, according to alliance projections released Thursday. Canada’s defense expenditure is expected to reach 2.01% of GDP in 2025, helping NATO achieve record spending of $1.404 trillion across all member nations.
NATO has since raised its targets, with members agreeing in June to spend 5% of GDP on defense and security by 2035 as the alliance responds to what it calls the most significant security challenges since the Cold War.
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