Currently in Canada there are approximately 60 VHF channels available plus 12 additional channels dedicated to Environment Canada WX Radio and Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) Services.
Like most other places in the world, Canada has dedicated many of these channels to specific uses. More importantly to the non-Canadian boater there are additional restrictions as to what these frequencies may be used for by the area of Canada you are in. A good example would be channel 69; in the (EC) "Eastern Coastal", areas of Canada this frequency is used by the commercial fishing industry while along the (BCC) "British Columbia Coast" area, it is an authorized frequency for pleasure craft.
The complete list can be downloaded in zipped PDF format Canadian VHF Frequency Chart
Canadian VHF Frequencies and Usage |
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| Area of Operation | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Number | Ship Transmit MHz | Ship Receive MHz | EC | NL | AC | GL | WC | BCC | Inl. BCC | Inl. PRA | Use | Restrictions |
| 01 | 156.050 | 156.650 | X | PC | None | |||||||
| 02 | 156.100 | 160.700 | X | PC | None | |||||||
| 03 | 156.150 | 160.750 | X | X | PC | None | ||||||
| 04A | 156.200 | 156.200 | X | X | IS, SS, C, S | DFO/Canadian Coast Guard only in BCC area. Commercial fishing in EC area. | ||||||
| 05A | 156.250 | 156.250 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | SM | None | |
| 06 | 156.300 | 156.300 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, C, NC, S | May be used for search and rescue communications between ships and aircraft. |
| 07A | 156.350 | 156.350 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, SS, C | None | |
| 08 | 156.400 | 156.400 | X | X | X | IS, C, S | Also assigned for intership in the Lake Winnipeg area. | |||||
| 09 | 156.450 | 156.450 | X | X | X | IS, SS, C, NC, S, SM |
Commercial — BCC area. May be used to communicate with aircraft and helicopters in predominantly maritime support operations. | |||||
| 10 | 156.500 | 156.500 | X | X | X | IS, SS, C, NC, S, SM |
Commercial — BCC area. May also be used for communications with aircraft engaged in coordinated search and rescue and antipollution operations. | |||||
| 11 | 156.550 | 156.550 | X | X | X | IS, SS, C, NC, SM |
VTS — BCC area. Also used for pilotage purposes. | |||||
| 12 | 156.600 | 156.600 | X | X | X | X | IS, SS, C, NC, SM |
VTS — BCC area. Port operations and pilot information and messages. | ||||
| 13 | 156.650 | 156.650 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, C, NC, SM | VTS — BCC area. Bridge-to-bridge navigational traffic. |
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| 14 | 156.700 | 156.700 | X | X | X | IS, SS, C, NC, SM |
VTS — BCC area. Port operations and pilot information and messages. | |||||
| 15 | 156.750 | 156.750 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, SS, C, NC, SM |
Port operations and Ship Movement — BCC area. All operations limited to 1-watt maximum power. May also be used for on-board communications. | |
| 16 | 156.800 | 156.800 | International Distress, Safety and Calling | All Areas | ||||||||
| 17 | 156.850 | 156.850 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, SS, C, NC, SM |
Port operations and Ship Movement — BCC area. All operations limited to 1 watt maximum power. May also be used for on board communications. | |
| 18A | 156.900 | 156.900 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, SS, C | Towing — BCC area. | |
| 19A | 156.950 | 156.950 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, SS | DFO/Canadian Coast Guard. Pacific Pilots — BCC area. |
| 20 | 157.000 | 161.600 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | SS, S, SM | Port operations only with 1 watt maximum power. | |
| 21A | 157.050 | 157.050 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, SS | DFO/Canadian Coast Guard only. |
| 21B | -------- | 161.650 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | S | Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) service. |
| 22A | 157.100 | 157.100 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, SS, C, NC | For communications between Canadian Coast Guard and non-Canadian Coast Guard stations only. |
| 23 | 157.150 | 161.750 | X | X | SS, PC | None | ||||||
| 23B | -------- | 161.750 | X | S | Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) service. | |||||||
| 24 | 157.200 | 161.800 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | SS, PC | None |
| 25 | 157.250 | 161.850 | X | SS, PC | Also assigned for operations in the Lake Winnipeg area. | |||||||
| 25B | -------- | 161.850 | X | S | Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) service. | |||||||
| 26 | 157.300 | 161.900 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | SS, PC | None |
| 27 | 157.350 | 161.950 | X | X | X | SS, PC | None | |||||
| 28 | 157.400 | 162.000 | X | SS, S, PC | None | |||||||
| 28B | -------- | 162.000 | X | X | S | Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) service. | ||||||
| 60 | 156.025 | 160.625 | X | SS, PC | None | |||||||
| 61A | 156.075 | 156.075 | X | X | IS, SS, C | DFO/Canadian Coast Guard only in BCC area. Commercial fishing only in EC area. | ||||||
| 62A | 156.125 | 156.125 | X | X | IS, SS, C | DFO/Canadian Coast Guard only in BCC area. Commercial fishing only in EC area. | ||||||
| 63A | 156.175 | 156.175 | X | IS, SS, C | Tow Boats — BCC area. | |||||||
| 64 | 156.225 | 160.825 | X | SS, PC | None | |||||||
| 64A | 156.225 | 156.225 | X | IS, SS, C | Commercial fishing only. | |||||||
| 65A | 156.275 | 156.275 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | S, IS, SS, C, NC |
Search and rescue and antipollution operations on the Great Lakes. Towing on the Pacific Coast. Port operations only in the St. Lawrence River areas with 1 watt maximum power. Intership in INLD PRA. |
| 66A | 156.325 | 156.325 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | S, IS, SS, C, NC |
Port operations only in the St. Lawrence River/Great Lakes areas with 1–watt maximum power. 1 watt marina channel — BCC area. | |
| 67 | 156.375 | 156.375 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | S, IS, SS, C, NC |
May also be used for communications with aircraft engaged in coordinated search and rescue and antipollution operations. Commercial fishing only in EC and INLD PRA areas. Pleasure craft — BCC area. |
| 68 | 156.425 | 156.425 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, SS, NC | For marinas, yacht clubs and pleasure craft. |
| 69 | 156.475 | 156.475 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, SS, C, NC | Commercial fishing only — EC area. Pleasure craft — BCC area. | |
| 70 | 156.525 | 156.525 | Digital Selective Calling for Distress, Urgency, Safety and Calling. | All Areas | Voice communications prohibited. | |||||||
| 71 | 156.575 | 156.575 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | S, IS, SS, SM, C, NC |
Ship Movement — BCC area. Marinas and yacht clubs — EC and on Lake Winnipeg. | |
| 72 | 156.625 | 156.625 | X | X | IS, C, NC | May be used to communicate with aircraft and helicopters in predominantly maritime support operations. Pleasure craft — BCC area. |
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| 73 | 156.675 | 156.675 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | S, IS, SS, C, NC |
May also be used for communications with aircraft engaged in coordinated search and rescue and antipollution operations. Commercial fishing only in EC and INLD PRA areas. |
| 74 | 156.725 | 156.725 | X | X | IS, SS, SM, C, NC |
VTS and Ship Movement — BCC area. | ||||||
| 75 | 156.775 | 156.775 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, SS, SM, C | Simplex port operation, ship movement and navigation related communication only. 1 watt maximum. |
| 76 | 156.825 | 156.825 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, SS, SM, C | Simplex port operation, ship movement and navigation related communication only. 1 watt maximum. |
| 77 | 156.875 | 156.875 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | S, IS, SS, SM | Pilotage — BCC area; 25 watts. Port operations only in the St. Lawrence River/Great Lakes areas with 1 watt maximum power. | |
| 78A | 156.925 | 156.925 | X | X | IS, SS, C | Fishing Industry — BCC area. | ||||||
| 79A | 156.975 | 156.975 | X | X | IS, SS, C | Fishing Industry — BCC area. | ||||||
| 80A | 157.025 | 157.025 | X | X | IS, SS, C | Whale Watching — BCC area. | ||||||
| 81A | 157.075 | 157.075 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | S, IS, SS | DFO/Canadian Coast Guard use only. | |
| 82A | 157.125 | 157.125 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | IS, SS | DFO/Canadian Coast Guard use only. | |
| 83A | 157.175 | 157.175 | X | X | IS, SS | DFO/Canadian Coast Guard and other Government agencies. | ||||||
| 83B | -------- | 161.775 | X | X | X | S | Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) Service. | |||||
| 84 | 157.225 | 161.825 | X | SS, PC | None | |||||||
| 85 | 157.275 | 161.875 | X | X | X | X | SS, PC | None | ||||
| 86 | 157.325 | 161.925 | X | SS, PC | None | |||||||
| 87 | 157.375 | 161.375 | X | X | X | X | IS, SM, NC | Port operation and ship movement -EC area. Pleasure craft — BCC area. | ||||
| 87B | 161.975 | 161.975 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | AIS | Automatic Ship Identification and Surveillance System. |
| 88 | 157.425 | 157.425 | X | X | X | X | IS, SM, C | Port operation and ship movement — BCC area. | ||||
| 88B | 162.025 | 162.025 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | AIS | Automatic Ship Identification and Surveillance System. |
| WX-1 | --- | 162.550 | S | Environment Canada Weather Radio | ||||||||
| WX-2 | --- | 162.400 | S | Environment Canada Weather Radio | ||||||||
| WX-3 | --- | 162.475 | S | Environment Canada Weather Radio | ||||||||
| WX-4 | --- | 162.425 | S | Environment Canada Weather Radio | ||||||||
| WX-5 | --- | 162.450 | S | Environment Canada Weather Radio | ||||||||
| WX-6 | --- | 162.500 | S | Environment Canada Weather Radio | ||||||||
| WX-7 | --- | 162.525 | S | Environment Canada Weather Radio | ||||||||
Table Footnotes |
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| EC | - East Coast (NL, AC, GL, and Eastern Arctic areas) | IS | Intership | |||||||||
| NL | - Newfoudland and Labrador | SS | Ship / Shore | |||||||||
| AC | - Atlantic Coast, Gulf and St. Lawrence River to and including Montreal | C | Commercial | |||||||||
| GL | - Great Lakes including the St. Lawrence above Montreal | NC | Non-Commercial | |||||||||
| WC | - West Coast (BCC, Western Artic, and Athabasca-Mackenzie Watershed areas) | S | Safety | |||||||||
| BCC | - British Columbia Coast (Pacific Coast) | SM | Ship Movement | |||||||||
| Inland BC | - Inland Waters of BC and the Yukon | PC | Public Correspondence | |||||||||
| Inland PRA | - Inland Waters of MB, SK, and AB | AIS | Automatic Ship Identification | |||||||||
| VTS | Vessel Traffic Services | |||||||||||