Quebec-based Chantier Davie has secured an 11.3-billion Canadian dollar ($8.1 billion) contract to construct six new Polar Class 3 icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard.
The vessels will replace the Coast Guard’s aging heavy and medium icebreaking fleet used for winter operations in Atlantic Canada, the St. Lawrence waterways, and the Great Lakes, as well as Arctic missions during the summer season.
Polar Class 3 vessels are designed to operate in regions affected by second-year ice, with the capability to support extended and multi-year deployment availability.
Chantier Davie is expected to begin cutting steel for the first vessel at its Lévis shipyard next year. The first Polar Class 3 icebreaker is scheduled for delivery in 2032, while the complete six-ship fleet is expected to enter service by 2038.
The program is projected to support nearly 5,000 jobs during construction and contribute approximately 650 million Canadian dollars ($469 million) annually to Canada’s economy. Under the government’s Buy Canadian policy, the ships will be built using domestically sourced steel and components.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the agreement, describing it as the largest shipbuilding contract in Quebec’s history.
Supporting Up to 88 New Vessels
The Polar Class 3 icebreaker contract forms part of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, which aims to deliver up to 88 new vessels for the country’s maritime forces by 2045.
As part of the initiative, Davie received an initial design contract worth 19.6 million Canadian dollars ($14.1 million) in 2024 for the development of the Polar Class 3 vessels.
In 2025, the company was also awarded a separate 3.25-billion-Canadian-dollar ($2.3-billion) contract to construct the larger Polar Class 2 heavy icebreaker, CCGS Arpatuuq.
The broader strategy is also linked to the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort Pact between Canada, the United States, and Finland, aimed at strengthening Arctic capabilities and regional security cooperation.
