A ship at the Davie shipyard in Levis, Que., in 2018. Chantier Davie is building one of Canada’s new heavy icebreakers with working taking place both in Finland and Quebec.Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press
Canada, the United States and Finland laid out a plan to collaborate on building new icebreakers to resupply their aging fleets, a sign of ongoing co-operation between Ottawa and Washington despite stalled trade talks.
Canadian ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Sakari Puisto, signed a joint statement of intent in Washington Tuesday vowing co-operation on the polar vessels.
The statement effectively resurrects a Biden-era initiative – the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, or ICE, Pact – which U.S. President Donald Trump had dismissed shortly before taking office in January, 2025.
Back in 2024, Ottawa, Washington and Helsinki had signed the pact but there was little progress before the November U.S. presidential election.
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In January, 2025, Mr. Trump, then-president elect, appeared prepared to abandon the pact, accusing Canada of leeching off the U.S. when it comes to defence spending. He said he didn’t want to work with Canada on constructing polar vessels.
“We’re buying icebreakers, and Canada wants to join us in the buying of icebreakers,” Mr. Trump told reporters at the time. “We don’t really want to have a partner in the buying of icebreakers. We don’t need a partner.”
The Canadian government said in a news release Wednesday the new joint statement of intent strengthens industrial co-operation among the three Arctic countries across all stages of icebreaker production, including a work force development program, shared research and promotional activities.
“This partnership ensures Canada is strategically prepared to address emerging Arctic challenges, while showing that our domestic industries and expertise are central to security, economic growth and long-term prosperity,” Joël Lightbound, the federal minister responsible for public works and procurement said.
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Officials from Canada, Finland and the U.S. will convene to develop further steps for co-operation, with an “industry day” scheduled for Nov. 20 to talk with private sector partners, the Canadian government said.
Trade talks between the U.S. and Canada remain stalled after Mr. Trump, on Oct. 23, abruptly cancelled talks with Ottawa that aimed to reach a deal to scale back his protectionist tariffs on Canadian goods. Mr. Trump broke off negotiations because he was angry at an Ontario government TV ad that criticized tariffs.
In October, Mr. Trump announced that the U.S. had selected a design from Seaspan Shipyards, which is based in Canada, for six U.S. icebreakers, called Arctic Security Cutters, for his country’s Coast Guard. The contract for design and construction was awarded to the U.S.’s Bollinger Shipyards in partnership with Finland’s Rauma Marine Construction, Seaspan and Finland’s Aker Arctic Technology.
Work on icebreaker bound for Canadian Arctic begins at Davie shipyard in Finland
Chantier Davie Canada Inc. is building one of Canada’s new heavy icebreakers with construction taking place both in Finland and Quebec. Seaspan, headquartered in North Vancouver, is building a second heavy icebreaker for Canada.
Finland is playing the biggest role in this trilateral co-operation. In October, 2025, the U.S. and Finland finalized a US$6.1-billion agreement for the U.S. Coast Guard to obtain 11 new icebreakers. Under this deal, Finland will build four of the vessels at its shipyards, while the remaining seven will be constructed in the U.S., with technical support from Finnish experts.