Canada’s expensive submarine fleet has been facing significant challenges. According to records, the maintenance and upgrade costs for the submarines have exceeded $3 billion. In a recent inquiry, it was revealed that only one vessel, HMCS Windsor, has been at sea since December 1, 2021. The submarine spent 43 days at sea last year. However, the Windsor experienced a flooding incident while on patrol off the coast of Nova Scotia on September 10 and had to return to its home port of Halifax. This incident was not included in the inquiry, but it resulted in minor injuries to three sailors.
A request for statistics on the fleet’s performance prompted Manitoba Conservative MP James Bezan to inquire about the number of days each of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Victoria class submarines had spent at sea in the last four years. It was discovered that HMCS Victoria was last at sea in November 2021, while ongoing repairs have been taking place on the HMCS Chicoutimi and Corner Brook for several years. The cost of maintenance contracts for these submarines is expected to exceed $3 billion until 2025.
Despite these challenges, the Victoria-class submarines are crucial to the Royal Canadian Navy’s underwater surveillance capabilities. They are well-armed, capable of patrolling vast distances, and support maritime law enforcement in various operations. However, the Canadian Submarine Force has been impacted by personnel shortages.
According to a 2022 inquiry, the military needs 503 personnel to run the submarine capability. Efforts to recruit and train submariners have been ongoing, with 140 submariners recruited between 2019 and 2022 and 70 submariners successfully completing their basic submarine qualifications.
The four secondhand diesel-powered submarines were purchased from the United Kingdom for $750 million in 1995. However, they have required extensive refits and repairs. Tragically, one of the submarines caught fire during its first voyage to Canada in 2004, resulting in the death of Navy Lt. Chris Saunders due to smoke inhalation and serious injuries to two other crew members.
The overall cost of the submarine program has not been disclosed. A 2020 report by then-defence minister Harjit Sajjan estimated that the cost of continued maintenance could reach $5 billion by 2035. The British supplier and servicing company Babcock International Group has been working on ongoing repairs since 2008.
It’s worth noting that the Royal Canadian Navy’s fleet consists of various classes of ships, submarines, and other support vessels. Despite the challenges faced by the submarine fleet, efforts are being made to address personnel shortages and ensure the continued operational capabilities of these crucial assets.