To contact the Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Centre:
Call 1-800-267-7270
or
Channel 16 on VHF Marine radio
Program this number into your phone for emergencies. The Coast Guard may also be reached via *16 on your cell phone, but not all carriers enable this number, so 1-800-267-7270 is your best bet in an emergency.
Coast Guard Response
On Georgian Bay, the Coast Guard might respond to the following types of incidents:
-
- Vessel on fire (the Coast Guard does not fight the fire but they will assist with rescue)
- Vessel aground
- Vessel disabled or broken down
- Vessel taking on water
- Vessel capsized
- Vessel lost in fog
- Person overboard
- Missing persons
- Medical emergencies
- Assistance to other agencies
The Coast Guard will not:
-
- Fight fires
- Conduct law enforcement
- Compete with salvage (they won’t tow when a commercial or private entity is responding)
- Charge you for vessel towing
Coast Guard Resources in Georgian Bay
Community Outreach
The Canadian Coast Guard are happy to offer community outreach services. Where time allows, the Coast Guard gives boating safety presentations at annual general meetings (AGMs) and performs Pleasure Craft Courtesy Checks (PCCCs) at the same time. These checks involve reviewing all the equipment you have on board to make sure all safety requirements are being met, but because they don’t do enforcement, you won’t get a ticket – just a friendly reminder of what you need to be all shipshape.
To explore these options contact:
Greg Birdsell
Search and Rescue Program Officer
613-762-1677
XCASARSarnia@DFO-MPO.GC.CA
Other articles and resources:
A Friend In Need-Coast Guard Search and Rescue
- Please note the following additions the above article:
- The official name of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxillary unit in Killarney is Warren L not Herbert Fisheries as noted in the above article.
- The following Canadian Coast Guard Auxillary units are no longer active: Owen Sound (Fundy Gate) and Wasaga Beach (Off Duty).
- Laurie E is a unit in Nobel, Ontario
- Canadian Coast Guard Auxillary Carling Fire in Parry Sound operates two vessels: Marine One and Marine Two.
