NRC COVID-19 response

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  August 26, 2020 | Local, Naval

  Government of Canada awards contract for refit work on Canadian Coast Guard Ship Griffon

  GATINEAU, QC, Aug. 26, 2020 /CNW/ - Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the Government of Canada is ensuring the Canadian Coast Guard has the vessels it needs to keep Canadian waterways safe and accessible, while generating significant economic benefits to communities across Canada. Following an open and competitive process, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, has awarded a contract of $4 million to Heddle Shipyards in Hamilton, Ontario, for refit work on the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Griffon. The CCGS Griffon is a high-endurance multi-tasked vessel that performs light icebreaking and buoy-tending operations essential to keeping our waters open and safe for marine traffic. The refit work will include regulatory inspections and certifications; maintenance of structural items and various equipment, including propulsion; as well as the replacement and repair of various compartments, decks, and communication and navigation equipment. This contract will help create or sustain 80 jobs. Quotes "In shipyards across the country, the National Shipbuilding Strategy is guiding work to build, repair and maintain Canada's fleets. We are proud to support the brave and essential members of the Canadian Coast Guard, while creating jobs and strengthening economies in communities across the country." The Honourable Anita Anand Minister of Public Services and Procurement "The women and men of the Canadian Coast Guard are working every day to help keep mariners safe and our shipping routes open. Whether it's patrolling the longest coastline in the world, breaking ice on the Great Lakes or helping save lives on one of Canada's many waterways, our government is ensuring the Coast Guard has the tools and equipment needed to continue serving Canadians proudly. This refit contract will ensure the CCGS Griffon continues to fulfill critical icebreaking operations, essential to keeping our maritime trade going all year round." The Honourable Bernadette Jordan Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Quick facts The work under this contract is expected to run from August 17, 2020, to October 16, 2020. The CCGS Griffon supports the delivery of several programs, including icebreaking and flood control, and provides a platform for the Canadian Hydrographic Service for mapping of shoreline and water depth. It also aids navigation by servicing, placing and removing navigational buoys. The CCGS Griffon provides icebreaking services primarily on Lake Ontario, on Lake Erie and along the St. Lawrence River to Montréal, Quebec. The vessel entered the Coast Guard fleet in 1970, and its home port is located at the Canadian Coast Guard Base in Prescott, Ontario. The Canadian Coast Guard fleet has a maintenance plan for each of its vessels, which respects Transport Canada inspection requirements, to keep its vessels in safe, reliable working condition. Associated links Canadian Coast Guard Fleet details National Shipbuilding Strategy Heddle Shipyards Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada For further information: Cecely Roy, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Anita Anand, 819-997-5421, cecely.roy@canada.ca; Media Relations, Public Services and Procurement Canada, 819-420-5501, media@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/government-of-canada-awards-contract-for-refit-work-on-canadian-coast-guard-ship-griffon-892077121.html

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  December 14, 2021 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Avis important : cybersécurité / Important notice: Cyber security

  Bonjour, Nous aimerions partager l'information suivante qui pourrait susciter votre intérêt, ainsi que celui de vos membres : Avis important : cybersécurité Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada (SPAC) a pris connaissance d'une vulnérabilité de cybersécurité qui affecte des organisations à travers le monde. Par précaution, nous avons pris l'initiative de mettre hors ligne certains services qui ont cette vulnérabilité potentielle pendant qu'on évalue la situation. Ceci inclut le site web www.Achatsetventes.gc.ca. Nos services seront à nouveau disponibles dès que possible. Entretemps, nous travaillons à atténuer les répercussions de cette situation sur les processus d'approvisionnement actifs, et en particulier sur ceux qui se terminent bientôt. Nous vous remercions en avance de diffuser cette information auprès de votre communauté de fournisseurs. Nous vous remercions pour votre patience alors que nous travaillons pour résoudre cette situation. ****** Hello, We would like to share some information that may be of interest to you and your membership: Important notice: Cyber security Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has become aware of a cyber security vulnerability affecting organizations around the world. As a precaution, we have proactively taken down some services that may be affected by this potential vulnerability while we address the situation. This includes the www.Buyandsell.gc.ca website. Our services will be available as soon as possible. In the meantime, we are working to address the impact of this situation on active procurements, and particularly those closing soon. Thank you in advance for your assistance in sharing this information with your supplier community. We thank you for your patience as we work to resolve the situation.

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  February 12, 2020 | Local, Naval

  Canada's submarine fleet spent 'zero days' at sea last year: government documents

  All four of Canada's submarines were tied up last year for repairs and maintenance — news that has the opposition Conservatives questioning whether the Liberal government can keep the second-hand fleet afloat for another two decades. In response to a written question before Parliament, the Department of National Defence said the boats "spent zero days at sea" in 2019, but three of the four would return to service at some point this year. Over the year, HMCS Victoria, HMCS Windsor, HMCS Chicoutimi and HMCS Corner Brook were in various stages of repair and maintenance. They also went into drydock for long-term upgrades meant to ensure the submarines remain operational until the end of the next decade. The Liberal government's 2017 defence policy does not envision replacing the subs until 2040, but a written statement recently put before the House of Commons indicates the navy wants to keep the boats "operationally effective until the mid-2030s." Conservative defence critic James Bezan said the acquisition of new submarines is not something Canada can put off for 20 years — and the Department of National Defence and the Liberal government should begin seriously looking for replacements. 'Do they have a plan?' "The boats are getting older and need to be replaced sooner, but I'm not sure that's resonating with the minister's office or the [Prime Minister's Office]," Bezan said. "You have to ask yourself the questions. Do they have a plan to replace the submarines? And do they even care that we have submarines?" The boats were docked last year after an intense sailing schedule for two of the four submarines over 2017 and 2018. HMCS Chicoutimi spent 197 days at sea helping to monitor sanctions enforcement off North Korea and visiting Japan as part of a wider engagement in the western Pacific. HMCS Windsor spent 115 days in the water during the same time period, mostly participating in NATO operations in the Atlantic. Bezan said he is not questioning Canada's need for submarines, pointing out that the navy has three coastlines to monitor, countries such as China and India are investing heavily to build up their own fleets and Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic has surpassed Cold War levels. "The best way to fight a submarine is with a submarine," said Bezan. "There is a growing need for submarines to ensure our sovereignty around North America. It is also the best way to patrol our Arctic waters." Frigates first The Liberal government has just started the process of replacing the country's patrol frigates — the backbone of the navy — through an estimated $60 billion program that will roll out over the next two decades. Following the release of the federal government's new defence policy in June 2017, a senior government official, speaking on background, cited the cost and complexity of rebuilding the surface fleet as justification for postponing the purchase of new submarines. The commander of the navy, Vice-Admiral Art McDonald, said that after some early struggles, the submarine program has reached what he described as "a steady state," and he's convinced the boats can be operated safely for years to come. "We know there's still excellent life in the Victoria-class submarine. I've seen that personally," McDonald told CBC News in a recent interview. "We'll be able to operate those boats into the 2030s, but to do that we'll have to continue with the routine investments we've made in them." Submarines are not cheap. Defence department figures tabled before Parliament show the navy has invested upward of $325 million in submarine maintenance, repairs and upkeep each year for the last two years. The bulk of the cash went to repairing HMCS Corner Brook, which has been undergoing an extended upgrade since 2015 following an accident four years earlier when it smashed into the bottom of the ocean off British Columbia. The boat is one of the three Canadian subs expected to be back in the water this year for "contractor trials" meant to confirm the repairs. The Chrétien government bought the submarines second-hand from Britain in 1998 at a cost of $750 million. Since then, National Defence has pumped billions into repairing and converting them for Canadian use. The program suffered a major setback in 2004 when HMCS Chicoutimi caught fire on its maiden voyage, killing one sailor. Almost a decade ago, navy planners started making a case for a replacement program. They told the former chief of the defence staff, the now-retired general Walt Natynczyk, that the military needed bigger, quieter submarines that could perform stealth missions, launch undersea robots and fire guided missiles at shore targets. The briefing was obtained in 2012 by The Canadian Press under access to information legislation. A year later, the commander of the navy at the time, the now-retired vice-admiral Paul Maddison, told a Senate committee the navy meant to operate the boats until at least 2030. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/submarines-canada-fleet-repairs-canadian-navy-1.5458632