Supplementary information tables

Status Report on Transformational and Major Crown Projects

Polar Icebreaker Project

Description: Canada’s first polar icebreaker is expected to be delivered in time for the decommissioning of the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent. The new polar icebreaker will help strengthen Canada's Arctic sovereignty. The vessel will be able to operate in the Arctic in more difficult weather conditions and for a longer period of time, three seasons instead of the current two seasons.

Project Outcomes: Contribute to the Fleet Procurement program in Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Program Inventory.

Industrial Benefits: Canadian industry will benefit from this project. Canada's Industrial and Regional Benefits Policy, as well as the Value Proposition provisions of the umbrella agreement with Vancouver Shipyards under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, applies to the Polar Icebreaker project contracts.

Sponsoring Department: Canadian Coast Guard, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Contracting Authority: Public Services and Procurement Canada

Participating Departments: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the Department of National Defence.

Prime Contractor: VARD Marine Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (for design services)

Major Subcontractors:

  • Aker Arctic (either Helsinki, Finland or Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) (hull form design and optimization)
  • Imtech (Ashford, Middlesex, United Kingdom) (electrical engineering design services)
  • SNC Lavalin (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) (integrated logistics support services)
  • Indal/Curtiss Wright (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) (ship borne helicopter integration)

Project Phase: Definition Phase - The Canadian Coast Guard has completed the design phase of the Polar Icebreaker Project.

Major Milestones:

  • June 2009 - Preliminary Project Approval;
  • June 2010 - Government of Canada announced that the polar icebreaker would be built under the National Shipbuilding Strategy;
  • November 2010 - Contract award for design;
  • TBD - Contract award for construction engineering;
  • TBD - Contract award for construction;
  • TBD - Delivery of Polar Icebreaker;
  • TBD - project closeout.

Progress Report and Explanation of Variances: Federal Budgets 2008 and 2012 allocated funding for the procurement of Canada’s first polar icebreaker. Total funding of $1,297.8 million has been earmarked for the execution of this project. In June 2009, Treasury Board’s Preliminary Project Approval granted $36.3 million to begin the definition phase of the project.

In October 2013, a decision was made under the National Shipbuilding Strategy to sequence the Polar Icebreaker project as the fourth procurement to occur at the Vancouver Shipyard, following the completion of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Joint Support Ships. Accordingly, project milestones were re-defined and the project entered a period of reduced activity pending advancement of earlier projects and the capacity of Vancouver Shipyards to enter the implementation phase of the project.

The final of three detailed design stages was completed in 2014-15 by VARD Marine, including an appraisal by Lloyd’s Register, a Transport Canada-certified Classification Society. VARD Marine remains engaged in ongoing design maintenance and technical risk mitigation work, albeit at a reduced pace.

The Polar Icebreaker project is progressing under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy and as such, project schedules and costs are subject to change.

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