As part of the government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, Canada has contracted local shipbuilders to begin developing the coast guard’s modern polar icebreakers. The project, which was awarded to Vancouver Shipyards and Chantier Davie Canada Inc., will produce two ships to replace the service’s aging heavy icebreakers, including the largest hull, the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent, which has been in service since the 1960s. Vancouver Shipyards received roughly 3.15 billion Canadian dollars ($2.1 billion) to start the construction of the new ships, while Chantier Davie received 3.25 billion dollars ($2.2 billion).
