Following up on his election promises, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent a letter to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, Hunter Tootoo.

In a list of 14 top priorities across the country, Trudeau asked for the Kitsilano Coast Guard Base to be reopened, in addition to the Maritime Rescue Sub-centre in St. John's, Newfoundland.

The base was closed on February 13, 2013, by Stephen Harper's Conservative government. The move raised concerns and criticism about putting lives at risk in emergency situations.

In addition to outcry from the public, city officials and Mayor Gregor Robertson expressed opposition to the closure of the base.

Robertson stated that the city was not informed in advance about the date of the closure.

Controversy arose when an oil spill occurred in English Bay this year on April 9 only minutes away from the base but it took several hours for a response team to take action. The response faced criticism from both Premier Christy Clark and Robertson.

The BC Federation of Labour welcomed Trudeau's plans.

“I am relieved to hear that the base will be re-opened. I certainly hope this commitment is fast-tracked so public and marine safety is once again made a priority,” BC Federation of Labour president  Irene Lanzinger stated in a news release. “We need to also keep pushing to stop other closures, including the Comox Coast Guard Communication base.”

Mayor Robertson also called it "great news for our city" and expressed how he felt encouraged by the Prime Minister taking his concerns seriously after he spoke with him about it two weeks ago.

"Responding to over 300 calls each year with robust search and rescue services, the Kitsilano Coast Guard Base had been one of the most important public safety resources for Vancouver and our harbour, which ranks among the busiest in North America," he said in a news release. "A broad consensus of marine safety experts had consistently expressed grave concerns about the dangers posed by its closure. This direction by the Prime Minister shows that the new federal government takes Vancouver’s voices very seriously and is committed to enhancing safety in our local waters."