In the fall of 2025, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) will begin paying off the Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDVs). The Kingston-class warships were built and launched in the 1990s and are now at the end of their service life. The retirement of these vessels is a necessary step towards the modernization of Canada’s naval capabilities, as resources and personnel shift to address evolving maritime threats.
The term “paying off” refers to the British practice of paying a crew their wages once a ship has completed its voyage. In the RCN, the tradition continues with the term paying off referring to the formal ceremony where the naval jack, ensign, and commissioning pennant are hauled down, the crew departs a ship for the last time, and the ship is then no longer referred to as His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS).
This fall, eight of the twelve Kingston-class ships will be paid off during formal naval ceremonies to recognize and celebrate their long and distinguished service. These ceremonies will take place in Halifax for HMC Ships Shawinigan, Summerside, Goose Bay, Glace Bay and Kingston. Ceremonies in Esquimalt, B.C. will be held for HMC Ships Saskatoon, Whitehorse and Brandon.
The RCN’s four remaining operational Kingston-class vessels will consolidate under Canadian Fleet Atlantic in Halifax, N.S. As such, HMCS Moncton will remain based in Halifax, HMC Ships Yellowknife and Edmonton recently transferred to the east coast, and HMCS Nanaimo will transit to Halifax later this year. This will support current operational commitments, and efficient maintenance and crewing of the remaining Kingston-class vessels and the broader RCN fleet.
While looking forward to the introduction of new, modern warships to its fleet, the RCN has a robust plan in place to facilitate this transition, while maintaining excellence in training and operational capability. There is no loss of capability for the RCN as a result of the divestment of the Kingston-class – their missions and tasks will be redistributed to other existing ships and assets, and taken on by new platforms, capabilities and systems being introduced by the RCN.
“Kingston-class vessels have provided the Royal Canadian Navy with a significant, impactful, and flexible capability throughout their many years of service,” said Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander Royal Canadian Navy. “They have provided a training ground for many of our sailors, where key skills and roles have been learned. These ships have contributed important mine countermeasure roles on international operations and have regularly participated in exercises with partner navies abroad, and with the Royal Canadian Navy fleet along our Canadian coastlines.”
(Photo of HMCS Saskatoon from Canada.ca)