The vessel entered service in 1960 with the Department of Transport's Marine Fleet, before being transferred to the newly formed Canadian Coast Guard in 1962.

[2][3] The ship carried 200.00 m3 (43,990 imp gal) of diesel fuel, had a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) and could stay at sea for up to 20 days.

[2][5] In 1962 the Department of Transport's Marine Service fleet was merged into the newly formed Canadian Coast Guard and Simon Fraser was given the new prefix CCGS.

Towards the end of her career, Simon Fraser returned to buoy tending duties in the Maritimes Region, based at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

In 2006 she was sold to Quay Marine Associates Inc., reverted to her original name and registered in Livorno, Italy, where she was taken for conversion to a yacht and charter vessel.