Canadian Coast Guard opens first rescue boat station in the Arctic

The Canadian Coast Guard has officially openedits first inshore rescue boat station in the Arctic.

• Canada's first Arctic inshore rescue boat station

A celebration was held inRankin Inlet, Nunavut, on Thursday to mark the event. The station is part of a federally run program to give work experience to post-secondary students. Those who work at the station learn skills such as search and rescue the Rankin team will work directly with local search and rescue operations.

According to the coast guard, Rankin Inlet's station isoperated by Indigenous students from the Arctic.

"Lots of people from the community came [to the celebration]," saidKatia Jollez, a spokesperson for the Canadian Coast Guard.

"We had kids that were able to get on board the boat and meet the crew. We were able to introduce the crew to the community. So, overall a really great event to celebrate this important milestone," she said.

The goal is to expand search and rescue coverage and reduce response times. In the past, people in distress often had to wait hours for rescue resources in the South to reach them.

Nunavut's Community and Government Services MinisterLorneKusugakwas also on hand for the event this week.

It has been in operationsince June and has one boat for the summer months. It will operate until September, before ice covers the waters.

Canada now has 26 inshore rescue boat stations coast to coast.