Canadian authorities on Friday committed $22.7 million to improving the safety of shipping in the Arctic.
Various branches of the state will be beneficiaries of the sum, to be dispersed over a five-year period.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Canadian Hydrographic Service will acquire and install four state-of-the-art multibeam sonar systems aboard Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) icebreakers to help boost seafloor surveying and charting in the Arctic.
This reflects a philosophy of prevention being better than cure as improved charting of Arctic waterways is a sure way to forestall possible incidents.
The CCG also plans to enhance emergency response and search and rescue capacity in the Arctic by increasing the current Coast Guard Auxiliary presence in remote locations.
And it will conduct reviews to identify ways of enhancing Arctic marine navigation services and infrastructure, including aids to navigation.
Transport Canada will work closely with Aboriginal groups and local communities on ways to improve marine transportation in the North.
