HMCS Edmonton

There has been only 1 vessel named Edmonton in the Royal Canadian Navy.

HMCS Edmonton 703

In May 1992, a contract was let to Halifax Shipyards Ltd, Halifax, Nova Scotia, to build 12 Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDV) of the Kingston Class. They were designed to commercial standards and intended to conduct coastal patrols, minesweeping, law enforcement, pollution surveillance and response as well as search and rescue duties. The ships were fitted with modular payloads to carry out the assigned duties. 

The first ship to bear this name, HMCS Edmonton, was accepted by the navy on November 24, 1996, and conducted trials and work-ups off Halifax, Nova Scotia, before heading west. On March 3, 1997, in company with HMCS Moresby, she departed Halifax bound for Esquimalt, British Columbia, via the Panama Canal. Commissioned on June 21, 1997, at Esquimalt, she was assigned to Maritime Operations Group 4. Crewed almost entirely by naval reservists, she has conducted a variety of taskings such as coastal surveillance, search and rescue, support to other government departments in the areas of law enforcement, anti-smuggling, resource protection, fisheries and environmental monitoring. In 2002, she and 3 of her sister ships deployed to Mexico and, for the first time in 25 years, Canadian ships worked with the Mexican Navy. She participated in Exercise RIMPAC 2002. This voyage to Hawaii was the longest non-stop distance traveled by vessels of the Kingston Class at that time. There, she conducted 2 lead-through exercises to practice procedures for leading a high value unit through a minefield. She continued to train reservists throughout 2004 and in 2005 she underwent an extended period of maintenance and repairs. In December of 2005, the ship’s company was able to once again take custody of the ship and return to active duty. HMCS Edmonton continues to conduct operations in support of Canada’s policies.

• Builder: Halifax Shipyards Ltd, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• Laid down: December 8, 1995
• Launched: August 16, 1996
• Commissioned: June 21, 1997
• Displacement: 970 tonnes
• Dimensions: 55.3 m x 11.3 m x 3.4 m
• Speed: 15 knots
• Crew: 37
• Armament: one 40-mm gun and two 12.7-mm machine guns (2 x I).

Motto: “Industria Ditat” (Industry enriches)