New search and rescue stations to boost emergency response in N.L.

Search and rescue resources in Newfoundland and Labrador got a boost Tuesday, with announcements about new lifeboat stations in Old Perlican and Twillingateand improvements to a facility in St. Anthony.

The five-year, $108-million plan will also see four new lifeboat stationsin British Columbia.The new facilities are meant to improve response time to marine emergencies and will create 56 new jobs with the Canadian Coast Guard.

"It's a great boost for morale. We are doingrecruitmentto staff the locations," said Wade Stagg, the coast guard's project manager for lifeboat stations on the east coast.

Stagg, who was in Old Perlican for Tuesday's announcement, said construction on the rescue station there will begin this spring and the facility should be open in the summer of 2019.

Newfoundland's Bay de Verde Peninsula was chosen based on identified gaps in search and rescue response capacity, as well as an anticipated increase in vessel traffic in the area.

New building, new boat

Stagg said the station in Old Perlican will include storage room for fast-rescue craft and a new 19-metre vessel that will be capable of searching up to 120 miles offshore.

There will also be an accommodations area for crew.

"There will be two crews of four which will worktwo weeks on, two weeks off," Stagg said.

"So they will be on 24/7 standby and the station will be a seasonal station, operational from May, depending on ice conditions in the area, up until December."

Search and rescue vessels previously had to be dispatched from St. John's. Staggsaid larger vessels will still be sent from there if a search is being done far offshore.

• St. John's search and rescue centre to reopen by 2018

The federal Liberals promised during the 2015 election to boost search and rescue services in Newfoundland and Labrador, reversing a Conservative decision to close the St. John's Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre.

New lifeboat stations were part of the commitment, but locations had not been announced.

There are currently 41 lifeboat stations across the country.