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Canadian Coast Guard: jobs, pay, Academy, volunteering

Canadian Coast Guard: $65,640 to $78,708 a year aboard (Aug. 5, 2024). Jobs, the Sydney Academy, service commitment and volunteering in Quebec.

November 11, 2026 · By the Agent Ambulancier editorial team · Lire en français

A rescue helicopter hoists a rescuer above a Canadian Coast Guard boat on the St. Lawrence River in Quebec City — Photo: Letartean, CC BY 3.0, modifiée

The Canadian Coast Guard pays the crew members of its ships from $65,640 to $78,708 a year ($31.45 to $37.71 an hour) at levels SC-1 to SC-7 of the Operational Services group collective agreement, based on the rates of August 5, 2024. It is a special operating agency of the Department of National Defence. This text describes its jobs, its Academy in Sydney and its Auxiliary in Quebec. Rescue at sea is a trade close to that of paramedics (primary care paramedics). For the ground-based trade, see our page on how to become a paramedic. This text applies to women and men alike. It is neither legal advice nor union advice.

The mission of the Canadian Coast Guard

The Canadian Coast Guard works to ensure the safety of all boaters in Canadian waters and to protect the marine environment (Canada.ca, page of October 22, 2026). Maritime safety starts with search and rescue. According to the page Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) in Canada (February 6, 2026), the Coast Guard is responsible for the co-ordination, control and conduct of maritime search and rescue operations.

With the Canadian Forces, it staffs the three joint rescue coordination centres, in Victoria, Trenton and Halifax. It also operates a maritime rescue sub-centre in Quebec City, which reduces the joint centre's workload in areas of high marine activity. These centres have co-ordinators on duty 24 hours a day.

The Radio Aids to Marine Navigation 2026 (page of August 28, 2026) list the numbers of these centres. The Trenton centre answers at 1-800-267-7270 in Canada. The Quebec City centre answers at 1-800-463-4393 for the Quebec region.

In the Marine Security Enforcement Teams program, law enforcement is the RCMP's job. The Maritime Security Framework (a 2010 document, page of February 5, 2026) says the RCMP holds the enforcement and intelligence mandate of those teams.

An Order in Council transferred the Coast Guard from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to National Defence on September 2, 2025. It remains a civilian special operating agency (Canada.ca, page of April 29, 2026).

Jobs aboard the ships

The sea careers page (July 31, 2026) sorts the fleet's jobs into four families.

Ship logistics: cook, head cook and steward
Marine engineering: engineering officer, chief engineering officer, engine room assistant and engine room technician
Deck: master, chief officer and health officer (nurse)
Arctic: deck sailor

Shore careers cover marine communications and traffic, search and rescue or environmental response. Job postings are on the careers page (October 13, 2026).

Transport Canada writes that if your work involves first aid response, marine basic first aid training is mandatory for voyages in near coastal class 2 or sheltered waters (page of August 18, 2026).

Pay under the collective agreements

Ship crews fall under the SC group, in appendix G of the Operational Services (SV) group agreement. It expired on August 4, 2025. The table reproduces schedule A, deck and engine room sub-groups, rates in effect from August 5, 2024.

Level	Annual salary	Hourly rate
SC-1	$65,640	$31.45
SC-2	$67,068	$32.14
SC-3	$69,240	$33.18
SC-4	$71,496	$34.26
SC-5	$73,788	$35.36
SC-6	$76,236	$36.53
SC-7	$78,708	$37.71

These amounts and rates are those of the schedule. In the pages we read, the agreement does not tie a title such as sailor to a specific level.

Ship officers fall under the SO group. According to appendix A of their agreement (expired March 31, 2026), the rates on April 1, 2025 (arbitral decision of November 13, 2025) are as follows.

Marine navigation sub-group	Hourly rate	Annual salary
SO-MAO-TO, step 1	$33.01	$68,898
SO-MAO-TO, step 5	$37.89	$79,084
SO-MAO-12, step 4	$84.59	$176,556

The hourly rates are those of the agreement. The annual salaries are the editorial team's calculation: hourly rate × 40 hours a week × 52.18 weeks.

The Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker CCGS Amundsen in the St. Lawrence River ice at Trois-Rivières — The icebreaker CCGS Amundsen on the St. Lawrence River at Trois-Rivières. Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, modifiée

The Canadian Coast Guard Academy

The former Canadian Coast Guard College is the Academy, in Sydney, Nova Scotia. It was founded in September 1965 (news release of January 24, 2025) and renamed in September 2025 (news release of June 8, 2026, which counts 58 new officers). Its Officer Training Program lasts 4 years and has two streams, marine navigation and marine engineering. The program page (February 6, 2026) describes a fully paid education with a monthly allowance. The person becomes an employee upon acceptance. They earn a Bachelor of Technology in nautical science from Cape Breton University, an Academy diploma and a Transport Canada commercial certification as a ship's officer.

Appendix E of the officers' agreement sets the allowance at $800 a month since the arbitral decision of December 21, 2023. It also provides for a service commitment of at least 4 years after receiving the degree. An officer cadet who drops out or does not honour the commitment may have to repay the allowance, except that of the first six months.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary in Quebec

The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary is a network of non-profit organizations, official partners of the Coast Guard (Canada.ca, March 20, 2026). Search and rescue volunteers are most often experienced boaters. They take training. They are not paid, but their eligible expenses are reimbursed.

In Quebec, the organization is GCAC(Q). Its site counts nearly 800 volunteer marine rescuers and 65 units along Quebec's waterways. It points to a "Devenir membre" (become a member) section.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the salary of a Coast Guard sailor?

The Coast Guard names a deck sailor position. For the deck and the engine room, the SV agreement sets $65,640 to $78,708 a year ($31.45 to $37.71 an hour) as of August 5, 2024.

What is the salary of a Coast Guard officer?

Officers belong to the SO group. For marine navigation, hourly rates run from $33.01 to $84.59 on April 1, 2025 ($68,898 to $176,556 a year), depending on the level and the step. These rates come from the arbitral award of November 13, 2025.

How do you become Coast Guard in Canada?

The Canadian Coast Guard offers jobs at sea and on shore. The Academy's Officer Training Program leads to an officer position. Job postings are on the Canada.ca careers page.

Where is the Canadian Coast Guard College?

In Sydney, Nova Scotia. It has been called the Academy since September 2025.

Do you have to serve the Coast Guard after officer training?

Yes. Appendix E of the officers' agreement provides for a commitment of at least 4 years after receiving the degree.

Which department is the Canadian Coast Guard part of?

National Defence, since September 2, 2025. It previously belonged to Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

How do you become a volunteer with the Quebec Coast Guard Auxiliary?

You go through GCAC(Q), whose site points to a "Devenir membre" section. Volunteers are not paid.