Coast Guard Transferred to Defence

Summary#

This Order moves control and supervision of the Canadian Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard Support Services Group from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to the Department of National Defence. It was made on September 2, 2025 (P.C. 2025-639) and published in the Canada Gazette on September 24, 2025 as SI/2025-96 under the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer of Duties Act.

What it does#

• Transfers control and supervision of the parts of the federal public service known as the Canadian Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard Support Services Group from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to the Department of National Defence.
• Carries out that transfer under the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer of Duties Act.
• The Order is recorded as SI/2025-96 (P.C. 2025-639).

Who's affected#

• Employees and managers of the Canadian Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard Support Services Group.
• Staff and programs in the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that currently supervise those coast guard parts.
• The Department of National Defence, which will take on supervision and oversight.
• People and businesses that rely on coast guard services—such as coastal communities, mariners, shipping and fisheries operators, and emergency responders—who could notice changes in how services are run.
• The order itself does not list specific changes to programs, budgets, or contracts, so exact effects on third parties are not spelled out in the notice.

Why it matters#

• This is a major organizational change. It shifts who makes high-level decisions about coast guard operations from a civilian fisheries department to the defence department.
• That change could affect priorities, coordination with other agencies, and how operational decisions are made for search and rescue, icebreaking, environmental response and other maritime services.
• The notice does not give details about timing, staffing changes, or how services will be managed day-to-day, so people who use or work with the coast guard may want to watch for follow-up announcements.