The federal government announced Wednesday that itSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s prepared to spend an estimated $15.7 billion to build as many as 18 new Canadian Coast Guard ships.
Up to 16 of the ships will be multi-purpose vessels capable of light ice-breaking and able to respond to environmental emergencies and search-and-rescue missions. Two of the ships will be used for Arctic and offshore patrols.
The Coast GuardSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s 18 existing ships are getting close to the end of their service lives. The agency also has a fleet of six helicopters and employs 1,400 people.
The new vessels will be built in Vancouver and Halifax and at a third shipyard to be determined later.