Mr. Speaker, as always, I welcome the opportunity to respond to my hon. colleague, the member of Parliament for New Westminster—Coquitlam, on the provision of search and rescue resources in the Vancouver area.
The Canadian Coast Guard is responsible for the effective and efficient use of federally supported maritime search and rescue resources to respond to distress calls. The Coast Guard carefully considers all resources available to respond in any given area, as well as their combined capacity and capability to meet local search and rescue needs when making decisions regarding asset placement. I assure the House that the decision to close Kitsilano was made with careful consideration and planning.
As with any transition, there are upfront costs associated with it. In this case, there were start-up costs for the inshore rescue boat station. However, the ongoing costs of the inshore rescue boat and the increased contribution to the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue is less than a quarter of the full costs of operating Kitsilano station. After accounting for these costs and the anticipated increased operations of Sea Island hovercraft, the Canadian Coast Guard is achieving significant net savings while maintaining a very high level of service.
The Canadian Coast Guard developed the Vancouver search and rescue plan in collaboration with the search and rescue partners in the area. The plan enhances interoperability and improves communication among agencies to ensure that search and rescue responses will continue to be coordinated in an effective manner. The Vancouver search and rescue plan is fully implemented and working well in Vancouver.
Since the closure of the Kitsilano base on February 19, the Canadian Coast Guard Sea Island hovercraft has consistently had a reaction time of less than 10 minutes after receiving a tasking, which is well within the national service standards of 30 minutes.
In addition to the highly professional services of the Sea Island station, we have implemented a number of initiatives to ensure the ongoing integrity of the search and rescue system in Vancouver.
On April 15, the new inshore rescue boat became operational at HMCS Discovery, located in Coal Harbour. This inshore rescue boat station is strategically located and is providing an enhanced level of service during the busy summer boating season, similar to other locations in Canada.
The inshore rescue boat program has been a successful and integral part of the Canadian search and rescue system since the 1970s.
Furthermore, the increased investment in the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue volunteer organization has enhanced its response capabilities in locations throughout the Vancouver area. In fact, one station was relocated to a more central location several months ago, adjacent to the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge, which will reduce response times within the high traffic areas of the harbour.
It is important for mariners to remember that the Coast Guard is only one element of a network of government organizations, volunteers and private or international entities that make up Canada's search and rescue system. All available resources will be directed and expected to respond to distress incidents.
Let me conclude with the assurance that the resources and plans are in place in Vancouver to ensure a professional and timely response to all maritime search and rescue incidents. The safety of Canadians is always the top priority of the Conservative government and the Canadian Coast Guard.