The Canadian Government has announced an CA$816 million (approx. US$575m) investment over seven years to strengthen maritime security and expand the role of the Canadian Coast Guard in monitoring national waters, with a primary focus on the Great Lakes region.
The Canadian Coast Guard is in the process of upgrading its operations to protect Canadian waters, utilising its fleet of vessels, helicopters, sensors, operational centres, and shore-based assets to collect, receive, share, and analyse maritime intelligence.
Key initiatives under the funding include the establishment of a Marine Security Operations Centre in Niagara. The facility will deliver continuous monitoring and real-time data integration to enable faster, coordinated enforcement actions across the Great Lakes–St Lawrence region.
Additionally, up to 11 radar sites will be constructed at strategic locations along the Great Lakes and the St Lawrence River to address existing gaps in maritime domain awareness.
Autonomous systems, including uncrewed aerial and subsurface platforms, are also being deployed to extend the operational reach of the Canadian Coast Guard from both land and vessels.
Equipped with sensors and cameras, these drones are designed to improve situational awareness, reduce operational costs and personnel risks, and support real-time information sharing with federal partners, particularly in remote and Arctic regions.
In parallel, the agency is installing advanced camera systems on its ships to improve the quality of data collected, allowing for the rapid dissemination of actionable maritime information to defence, law enforcement, and security partners.
