Military vice-chief says there are no plans to arm Coast Guard vessels

The Coast Guard ship Louis S. St-Laurent and the offshore supply ship Atlantic Kestrel are seen in the port of St. John's on Sunday, June 25, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)

OTTAWA — The vice chief of the defence staff says the federal government does not intend to arm the Canadian Coast Guard.

Lt-Gen. Stephen Kelsey says the Coast Guard will remain a separate entity as it’s moved under the defence minister’s control.

He told a Senate committee today there are no plans to arm the civilian maritime force as it gains a new security mandate, adding Ottawa will count only a little more of the Coast Guard’s annual budget toward its NATO spending.

Canada has for years failed to meet its NATO spending commitments and has come under heavy pressure from allies to boost military spending to the NATO benchmark of two per cent of GDP.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced new defence spending last week and vowed to integrate the Coast Guard into Canada’s NATO defence capabilities.

Carney will be at the annual NATO summit next week, where member states are widely expected to commit to a new defence spending target for members of 5 per cent of GDP.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025.

The Canadian Press