NR-HQ-01-84E

Dhaliwal and Anderson announce awarding of $46.7 million Search and Rescue Lifeboat contract

October 10, 2001

VICTORIA -- The Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Honourable David Anderson, Minister of the Environment and Member of Parliament for Victoria, today announced that the $46.7 million competitive contract to build twenty new search and rescue lifeboats has been awarded to Victoria Shipyards of Victoria, BC.

"Maritime search and rescue is a valued and vital service in this country of ours that boasts the longest coastline in the world," said Mr. Dhaliwal. "These twenty new lifeboats will ensure that our SAR specialists across Canada continue to have the best possible equipment to do their job."

"This $46.7 million contract will be a significant boost for the economy of Victoria, bringing with it 45 new jobs each year for the life of the contract," said Mr. Anderson. "I am very pleased that a company from Victoria – a city that knows well the importance of maritime search and rescue - has been awarded this contract."

Funding for the contract is comprised in part from money allocated for the replacement of aging vessels. It also is derived from the $115.5 million in new funding for Canada’s SAR program to improve the response to distress incidents, announced by Mr. Dhaliwal in July 2000.

Upon completion in 2005, the twenty new lifeboats will be stationed at SAR stations across the country. British Columbia will receive nine of these new vessels including two that will service two new lifeboat stations for which sites have yet to be determined.

In addition to their primary function of SAR, these vessels will also operate in conservation and protection exercises, environmental emergency response, and support to other departmental and governmental programs.

Backgrounder attached.