Canada is investing in a new generation of state-of-the-art icebreakers to strengthen its presence in the Arctic, a strategic region on the front line of climate change, where geopolitical tensions are intensifying.
In a vast hangar at a North Vancouver shipyard, workers grind long metal beams. It is in places like this that Canada’s ambitious plan to solidify its status as an ice « superpower » is being built.
Canada’s far north is at the heart of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s priorities, who is travelling to Norway on Friday to observe military exercises in the Arctic involving troops from 14 member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
« Canada is, and always will be, an Arctic country , » he said before his departure. « Faced with new threats, we are strengthening defence collaboration with our Arctic partners . «
Climate change is also exacerbating strategic challenges. The melting of the ice cap is gradually opening up new maritime routes and making previously difficult-to-exploit natural resources accessible.
Arctic navigation capabilities have therefore become a central element: « We are striving to reaffirm our position as a superpower in icebreakers , » security expert Wesley Wark told AFP.
The future jewel of the Canadian fleet
Two new ships are currently under construction, each at a cost exceeding three billion Canadian dollars (2.2 billion US dollars).
The one that will be built in North Vancouver will be « the jewel in the crown » , Eddie Schehr, vice-president of production for the Seaspan group, told AFP.
It is expected in 2032. The other, partly assembled in Finland, should be delivered in 2030.
They must gradually replace an aging fleet that has been carrying out sovereignty, supply and maritime security missions in Arctic waters for decades.
This modernization had begun before the return to power of US President Donald Trump. But the sometimes strained relations between the two neighbors have contributed to putting the Arctic issue back at the center of the debate.
Asserting one’s position in the face of American ambitions
Mark Carney has repeatedly raised the new risks posed by the United States. During the last election campaign, he accused Donald Trump of wanting to weaken Canada, stating that the American president was seeking to « break us so that America can own us . «
First, to demonstrate its ability to contribute to « NATO’s collective security » in a region where the activity of the Russians , who possess the world’s largest fleet of icebreakers, is causing increasing concern.
Then keep in mind that « the United States itself potentially represents a danger to Canadian security » .
Because Donald Trump himself has repeatedly mentioned the annexation of Canada .
And on Tuesday, he again mocked Carney by calling him the « governor » of an American state, renewing a taunt he previously directed at former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
According to Mr. Wark, the risk of a direct military confrontation between the two countries is unlikely, but the immediate danger would be that Washington considers Ottawa incapable of ensuring the defense of the Arctic and intervenes directly with its army in the region.
« The strengthening of Canadian military power is partly motivated by these American concerns , » the expert adds.
Unlike Moscow, Ottawa does not plan to arm its new icebreakers. The ships are nevertheless designed to operate year-round in the extreme conditions of the Arctic.
They will be used for surveillance, intelligence gathering, rescue missions, and to support scientific activities in the region.
Numerous dangers to the environment
After the abolition of the carbon tax imposed on individuals and the construction of a new oil pipeline in Alberta just after his appointment, Canada’s entry into the icebreaker race marks yet another step backward from the environmental promises made by Mark Carney during his election campaign.
Contrary to what one might think, melting ice does not make navigation easier in the Arctic. Under the effect of global warming, the ice pack is breaking up and thick chunks of ice are moving chaotically along shipping lanes.
Like Canada, countries wishing to strengthen their presence in the Arctic need more icebreakers as the planet warms.
And, although their presence is regulated by the International Maritime Organization’s Polar Code (2017), the proliferation of these ships represents many dangers to Arctic ecosystems.
The complete ban on using heavy fuel oil to power icebreakers in the Arctic only came into effect in 2024, and the risk of oil spills remains very high. During his inauguration, the Canadian Prime Minister had nevertheless declared his intention to make Canada » an energy superpower, both in the field of clean energy and in that of conventional energy. »
Although the code imposes strict limits on the dumping of waste at sea, in reality controls are very difficult for Arctic coastal communities, which have few means of monitoring.
The presence of icebreakers also endangers local wildlife, particularly cetaceans (whales, narwhals, belugas) which communicate with each other using sound signals and are very sensitive to the noise caused by the arrival of these iron giants.
source : GEO
