Right, you will need to do it through whatever CN service assigns the numbers. Getting a number in the US either through the FCC or BoatUs is sub 48 hrs. Boatus I think is on the spot.
I'd be interested to hear how the process works in canada, and how long it takes. Once you have the number you can program it into the VHF and you are ready to go with VHF distress signaling. The only thing that likely has a delay is addition of your number and information into the international database. But that won't stop a response to an alert. It will just mean the SAR people won't know who or what they are looking for.
Congrats on he addition. I think a DSC vhf is one of the easiest and best safety devices you can add.
This was demonstrated to us recently.
Someone in a small open boat had been cutting firewood on an island about 10 miles out of town. Apparently he accidentally knocked the drain plug from the transom and made a brief, hasty mayday call as the boat filled with water. He then ran his boat up the beach before it sank, but was then in a "shadow" where his radio wouldn't work.
We started making our way there when the Coast Guard requested boats in the area to respond, but several faster boats got there first.
The boat close to shore couldn't talk with the Coast Guard so they were doing a relay to the boat further out. (I think the repeater station/radio tower for the coast guard is at the top of the island where this was taking place).
From the Coast Guards perspective it was very confusing, time consuming, frustrating, and completely inefficient.
That got me thinking about how, in a real emergency, it could be critical to get the basic information (vessel, number of passengers, location) to the Coast Guard in the fastest, most efficient way possible.
Might be the best investment I ever made...