Archana Cini
Lookout Newspaper

  • A historical look at significant Royal Canadian Navy events at CFB Esquimalt during the 1970s 
  • Highlights include NATO-led antisubmarine warfare exercises, an international Naden Band tour, the commissioning of HMCS Huron, and the founding of the base’s Naval and Military Museum. 

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Curious what life was like at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt 50 years ago? From local modernization projects to multinational exercises, the 1970s were a time of tradition and transformation for CFB Esquimalt and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). As national priorities evolved, community focus deepened, and defence technology advanced, the base played a critical role in shaping Canada’s naval readiness.

Here’s a look back at some key local naval moments from five decades past:

  • 1975-1980 saw several destroyers and frigates (including HMCS Algonquin) from CFB Esquimalt’s Pacific Fleet participating in critical North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-led anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercises. A countermeasure against submarine activity in the Pacific Rim, these exercises reaffirmed the RCN’s naval readiness and strengthened Canadian alliances.
  • A society was formed in the late 1970s to plan and build what would eventually become CFB Esquimalt’s Naval and Military Museum. Until this point, the entire museum’s “collection” was housed in a two-door metal cupboard at the back of the base’s library.
  • École Victor G Brodeur is built in 1973 to teach French-speaking children from military families. Nicknamed “la petite école rouge” or “little red schoolhouse,” the building housed up to 80 elementary students at a time until 1985, when the school moved to a larger building off base.
  • HMCS Huron is commissioned at CFB Esquimalt in 1972. This Tribal class destroyer became a key RCN asset, deployed on several anti-terrorism operations throughout the Pacific Ocean, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea. Eventually, Huron was decommissioned and sunk 100 kilometres west of Vancouver Island as an exercise target ship in 2007.
  • In 1972, the Naden Band of the RCN set sail from CFB Esquimalt for a Western Pacific tour. Performing in Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand, the band became official Canadian ambassadors and strengthened international alliances during a tense global period.
  • HMCS Saskatchewan becomes a familiar sight in British Columbia waters throughout the 1970s. Constructed at the Victoria Machinery Depot, launched locally and commissioned at Esquimalt Harbour, the vessel participated in both humanitarian missions and international exercises before its official decommissioning in 1994.

Looking back offers more than a glimpse into old headlines — it’s a tribute to the sailors, musicians, educators, and support staff who shaped CFB Esquimalt into what it is today. These events remind us that even in an era of strategy and defence, humanity and connection is never far from the Canadian mission.