Spring icebreaking on the Saguenay River

March 4, 2026 – Québec, Quebec – National Defence / Canadian Coast Guard

The Canadian Coast Guard’s annual spring icebreaking operations on the Saguenay Fjord will start as early as Monday, March 9, 2026. All equipment and material currently on the ice must be moved ashore before midnight on Sunday, March 8, 2026.

Annual spring icebreaking helps break up ice both in the Saguenay and at water entrances to prevent ice jams and flooding that may result from the spring thaw.

The Canadian Coast Guard strongly recommends that ice users, including pedestrians, fish harvesters, and snowmobilers, leave the ice when an icebreaker is in the area. The ice may move, creating a real danger for anyone nearby. Ice movement can still occur long after the vessel has left. The Canadian Coast Guard’s icebreakers can be identified by their red hull with a slanted white band near the centre, and a white funnel on top with a maple leaf.

The Canadian Coast Guard asks to the public to review the following ice safety tips.