Federal government begins to transfer Coast Guard to National Defence
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OTTAWA – A months-long process to transition the Canadian Coast Guard into the Department of National Defence has kicked off officially with a cabinet order.
The Liberals promised in the spring election to give the Coast Guard a new mandate, outfit it for maritime surveillance operations and integrate it into NATO’s defence capabilities.
Today, the government says cabinet has issued the order-in-council to formally move the Coast Guard out of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and into DND.
Defence Minister David McGuinty says in a message to the defence team that this move reflects the “evolving security landscape” Canada faces.
He also says the Coast Guard will remain a civilian agency and that there are “no plans” to arm its personnel or ships.
The governing Liberals currently have legislation before Parliament, Bill C-2, which amends the federal Oceans Act to allow the Coast Guard to conduct security activities, such as patrols and intelligence gathering.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 2, 2025.