BlueSeas

Canadian Marine Communications

Canadian VHF Frequency and Usage Table

Currently in Canada there are approximately 65 VHF channels available including (5) channels dedicated to Environment Canada’s "Continuous Marine Broadcast" (CMB) Services. Additionally there are (7) Environment Canada WX channels WX1 thru WX7.

Like most other places in the world, Canada has dedicated many of these channels to specific uses. More importantly, there are additional restrictions as to what these frequencies may be used for by the area of Canada you are in. For the non-Canadian boater, this is where it can get confusing. 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. In addition, there are (8) frequencies in which power output is limited to 1 watt. In 2017 Canada added (8) new frequencies and only Industry Canada knows what they will do with that.

List of Canadian VHF Frequencies and Usage

*Footnotes at bottom of table.

Canadian VHF Frequencies and Usage
Channel Number Ship Transmit MHz Ship Receive MHz Simplex Duplex *Use *Notes
01 156.050 160.650   X PC BCC
02 156.100 160.700   X PC BCC
03 156.150 160.750   X PC BCC, Inl. BCC
1004 156.200 156.200 X   IS, SS, C, S DFO/Canadian Coast Guard only in BCC area. Commercial fishing in EC area.
1005 156.250 156.250 X   SM EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC
06 156.300 156.300 X   IS, C, NC, S All Areas. May be used for search and rescue communications between ships and aircraft.
2006 160.900 160.900 X   Restricted For Experimental Use Only.
1007 156.350 156.350 X   IS, SS, C EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC
08 156.400 156.400 X   IS, C, S EC, WC, Inl. BCC. Also assigned for intership in the Lake Winnipeg area.
09 156.450 156.450 X   IS, SS, C,
NC, S, SM		 AC, BCC, Inl. PRA. Commercial - BCC area. May be used to communicate with aircraft and helicopters in predominantly maritime support operations.
10 156.500 156.500 X   IS, SS, C,
NC, S, SM		 AC, GL, BCC. 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   IS, SS, C,
NC, SM		 AC, GL, BCC. VTS - BCC area. Also used for pilotage purposes.
12 156.600 156.600 X   IS, SS, C,
NC, SM		 AC, GL, WC, BCC. VTS - BCC area. Port operations and pilot information and messages.
13 156.650 156.650 X   IS, C, NC, SM EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC. VTS - BCC area.
Bridge-to-Bridge navigational traffic.
14 156.700 156.700 X   IS, SS, C,
NC, SM		 AC, GL, BCC. VTS - BCC area. Port operations and pilot information and messages.
15 156.750 156.750 X   IS, SS, C,
NC, SM		 EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC. 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   IS, SS, C,
NC, SM		 EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC. Port operations and Ship Movement - BCC area. All operations limited to 1 watt maximum power. May also be used for on board communications.
1018 156.900 156.900 X   IS, SS, C EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC. Towing - BCC area.
1019 156.950 156.950 X   IS, SS All Areas. DFO/Canadian Coast Guard.
Pacific Pilots - BCC area.
20 157.000 161.600   X SS, S, SM EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC. Port operations only with 1 watt maximum power.
1021 157.050 157.050 X   IS, SS All Areas. DFO/Canadian Coast Guard only.
2021 -------- 161.650     S All Areas. Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) service.
1022 157.100 157.100 X   IS, SS, C, NC All Areas. For communications between Canadian Coast Guard and non-Canadian Coast Guard stations only.
23 157.150 161.750   X SS, PC BCC, Inl. BCC.
2023 -------- 161.750     S GL. Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) service.
24 157.200 161.800   X SS, PC Al Areas.
25 157.250 161.850   X SS, PC BCC. Also assigned for operations in the Lake Winnipeg area.
2025 -------- 161.850     S AC. Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) service.
26 157.300 161.900   X SS, PC All Areas.
27 157.350 161.950   X SS, PC AC, GL, BCC.
28 157.400 162.000   X SS, S, PC BCC.
2028 -------- 162.000     S AC, GL. Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) service.
60 156.025 160.625   X SS, PC BCC.
1061 156.075 156.075 X   IS, SS, C EC, BCC. DFO/Canadian Coast Guard only in BCC area. Commercial fishing only in EC area.
1062 156.125 156.125 X   IS, SS, C EC, BCC. DFO/Canadian Coast Guard only in BCC area. Commercial fishing only in EC area.
1063 156.175 156.175 X   IS, SS, C BCC. Tow Boats - BCC area.
64 156.225 160.825   X SS, PC BCC.
1064 156.225 156.225 X   IS, SS, C EC. Commercial fishing only.
1065 156.275 156.275 X   S, IS, SS,
C, NC		 All Areas. 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.
1066 156.325 156.325 X   S, IS, SS,
C, NC		 EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC. 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   S, IS, SS,
C, NC		 All Areas. 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   IS, SS, NC All Areas. For marinas, yacht clubs and pleasure craft.
69 156.475 156.475 X   IS, SS, C, NC EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC. Commercial fishing only - EC area. Pleasure craft - BCC area.
70 156.525 156.525 DSC for Distress, Urgency, Safety and Calling. All Areas. Voice communications prohibited.
71 156.575 156.575 X   S, IS, SS,
SM, C, NC		 EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC. Ship Movement - BCC area. Marinas and yacht clubs - EC and on Lake Winnipeg.
72 156.625 156.625 X   IS, C, NC EC, BCC. May be used to communicate with aircraft and helicopters in predominantly maritime support operations.
Pleasure craft - BCC area.
73 156.675 156.675 X   S, IS, SS,
C, NC		 All Areas. 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   IS, SS, SM,
C, NC		 EC, BCC. VTS and Ship Movement - BCC area.
75 156.775 156.775 X   IS, SS, SM, C All Areas. Simplex port operation, ship movement and navigation related communication only. 1 watt maximum.
76 156.825 156.825 X   IS, SS, SM, C All Areas. Simplex port operation, ship movement and navigation related communication only. 1 watt maximum.
77 156.875 156.875 X   S, IS, SS, SM EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC. Pilotage - BCC area; 25 watts. Port operations only in the St. Lawrence River/Great Lakes areas with 1 watt maximum power.
1078 156.925 156.925 X   IS, SS, C EC, BCC. Fishing Industry - BCC area.
1079 156.975 156.975 X   IS, SS, C EC, BCC. Fishing Industry - BCC area.
1080 157.025 157.025 X   IS, SS, C EC, BCC. Whale Watching - BCC area.
1081 157.075 157.075 X   S, IS, SS EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC. DFO/Canadian Coast Guard use only.
1082 157.125 157.125 X   IS, SS EC, NL, AC, GL, WC, BCC, Inl. BCC. DFO/Canadian Coast Guard use only.
1083 157.175 157.175 X   IS, SS EC, BCC. DFO/Canadian Coast Guard and other Government agencies.
2083 -------- 161.775     S AC, GL, BCC. Continuous Marine Broadcast (CMB) Service.
84 157.225 161.825   X SS, PC BCC.
85 157.275 161.875   X SS, PC NL, AC, GL, BCC.
86 157.325 161.925   X SS, PC BCC.
87 157.375 161.375   X IS, SM, NC NL, AC, GL, BCC. Port operation and ship movement -EC area. Pleasure craft - BCC area.
87B 161.975 161.975     AIS All Areas. Automatic Ship Identification and Surveillance System.
88 157.425 157.425 X   IS, SM, C NL, AC, GL, BCC. Port operation and ship movement — BCC area.
88B 162.025 162.025     AIS All Areas. 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 Abbreviation’s
EC - East Coast (NL, AC, GL, and Eastern Arctic areas)   IS Intership
NL - Newfoundland and Labrador   SS Ship to 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 Arctic, 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
 

The complete list can be downloaded in zipped PDF format Canadian VHF Frequency Chart

Canadian Ship Station License

To start, Ship Station Licensing is handled by Industry Canada. For those looking to apply, we have included the application form (IC3020EA) that you may download, complete, and then print out for submission to your nearest Industry Canada district office.

Canadian Maritime Ship Station License Application

Canadian MMSI

If you are in need of a MMSI for your DSC radio you can apply with the application below. These applications should also be submitted to your nearest Industry Canada district office.

Canadian MMSI Application

The file above includes applications for both licensed and un-licensed radio stations.

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