Evidence of meeting #21 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was procurement.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:40 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Strategy and Shipbuilding, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
That's correct.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Then we turn to the navy, the JSS. When I was elected, we were talking about the JSS, and it seems we're still talking about it. What is the time frame for building one JSS?
I guess I should turn to Mr. Finn from defence.
4:40 p.m.
RAdm Patrick Finn
Thank you very much for the question.
We have already started acquiring all the materials. We started to acquire long-lead items and we will continue to do that this fall. We're moving through completing that again. In this particular case—
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
It's fine to purchase materials but construction won't start until the three offshore fisheries science vessels and the Canadian Coast Guard vessel are completed.
When would that be, according to your current schedule?
4:40 p.m.
RAdm Patrick Finn
I would point out that we don't have to wait for one ship to be completed before starting the next one.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
There is still the issue of capacity. There are dry docks.
What is the date?
4:40 p.m.
RAdm Patrick Finn
At the end of 2017 or the beginning of 2018, we will start building the first vessel.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
June 9th, 2016 / 4:40 p.m.
RAdm Patrick Finn
Three years.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
It will take three years for the first boat. The two others will be series production?
4:40 p.m.
RAdm Patrick Finn
Yes, series production, but once again—
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
If it takes three years, that means 2017-2020, 2022-2023. You see—
4:40 p.m.
RAdm Patrick Finn
I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr. Blaney, but I must point out that, a year after we start construction of the first ship, we will start the second. The same is true for the three Canadian Coast Guard vessels: two are currently being built.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
I see.
For the joint support vessels strategy, what was the initial delivery schedule for the first of these ships?
4:40 p.m.
RAdm Patrick Finn
I'm sorry, I don't have the date with me.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
We often forget the dates and then they get changed over time.
That brings us to the icebreaker.
By my rough calculation then, it won't be delivered until 2022-2023. We're in 2016 now. So that is six years from now. In my opinion, it will take 10 years, based on our average for ship delivery. That is why we will ask the government how we can fill this gap.
Right now, we have one icebreaker, the Louis S. St-Laurent, which is steam powered. Do you intend to retrofit this vessel in the short term? It is Canada's only icebreaker and I think it was built when I was two years old.
4:40 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Strategy and Shipbuilding, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
We have one icebreaker, as you've noted, in the plan for the Vancouver shipyard at this time. Funding has been announced for—
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
We just discussed that. We said it would be 2021-23. I say [Technical difficulty—Editor] so there's a gap.
When are you planning your retrofit of currently the only, and very old, icebreaker we have in Canada, the Louis S. St-Laurent?
4:40 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Strategy and Shipbuilding, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I have the dates for our vessel life extensions. I'll just take a moment to pull them out.
Generally speaking, we do have a plan for vessel life extension across our icebreaker fleet.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
There's the Hudson, I believe, as well, that will have a retrofit, but that's more like a research oceanographic vessel.
4:40 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Strategy and Shipbuilding, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
That's correct. It's not an icebreaking vessel.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
What Polar class is the Hudson. Is it 2 or 3?
4:40 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Strategy and Shipbuilding, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I don't have that number in front of me.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Okay.
To get back to the Louis S. St-Laurent, it is a Polar class 2. Is that correct?
4:40 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Strategy and Shipbuilding, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
That's correct.