Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt (CFB Esquimalt) is the Royal Canadian Navy's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters. , 4,411 military personnel and 2,762 civilians work at CFB Esquimalt.CFB Esquimalt
/ref> It is located in the very south of

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

Geography

The base occupies approximately at the southern tip of

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest ...

on the

Strait of Juan de Fuca The Strait of Juan de Fuca (officially named Juan de Fuca Strait in Canada) is a body of water about long that is the Salish Sea's main outlet to the Pacific Ocean. The Canada–United States border, international boundary between Canada and the ...

, in the municipality of

Esquimalt The Township of Esquimalt () is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered to the east by the provincial capital, Victoria, British Columbia, Victoria, to the south by the Strait of Jua ...

, adjacent to the western limit of the provincial capital, Victoria.

Facilities

CFB Esquimalt comprises facilities that include ''Naden'' (formerly HMCS ''Naden''), His Majesty's Canadian (HMC) Dockyard Esquimalt, Fleet Maintenance Facility – Cape Breton (FMF CB), a Fire Fighting and Damage Control School, the Naval Officer Training Centre (NOTC) Venture, and extensive housing including 716 personnel married quarters at nine sites such as Belmont Park, WorkPoint, and Royal Roads. The present dockyard and

dry dock A dry dock (sometimes drydock or dry-dock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the construction, maintenance, ...

, known as HMC Dockyard Esquimalt, dates to the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

's Esquimalt Royal Navy Dockyard (1842–1905) and was the Royal Navy's

Pacific Station The Pacific Station was created in 1837 as one of the geographical military formations into which the Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. The South America Station was split into the Pacific Station and the South East Coast o ...

until 1911. Today it serves as the Canadian Naval Headquarters in the Pacific.

Operational and support units

Major units of the base are: * Maritime Forces Pacific ** Naval Security Team * Joint Task Force Pacific * Campus Pacific * Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) * 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron * Canadian Forces Health Services Centre (Pacific) * Naval Provost Marshal (Pacific) * 5th (British Columbia) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA * The Canadian Scottish Regiment * 11 Service Battalion * 4th Canadian Rangers Patrol Group * Acoustic Data Analysis Centre * Regional Cadets (Pacific)

Historic site

HMCS Aurora Patriot Patrician Esquimalt 1921 E-6546-2

Due to their significance in Canadian naval history, four sites at CFB Esquimalt (the

Dockyard A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Compared to shipyards, which are sometimes more involve ...

, the former Royal Navy Hospital, the Veterans' Cemetery, and the Cole Island Magazine) have been designated the Esquimalt Naval Sites

National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada () are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as being of national historic significance. Parks C ...

Ships

In March 2025, CFB Esquimalt services the following ships assigned to Canadian Fleet Pacific * patrol frigates ** ** ** ** ** *s ** ** ** ** ** ** * s ** ** Planned 2026 * ''Victoria''-class patrol submarines ** ** ** *Auxiliary vessels ** , tugboat ** *** , fireboat ** s *** CFAV ''Lawrenceville'' (YTL 590), tugboat *** CFAV ''Parksville'' (YTL 591), tugboat ** tugs *** , tugboat *** , tugboat * patrol craft training tender **''Orca'' (PCT 55) **''Raven'' (PCT 56) **''Caribou'' (PCT 57) **''Renard'' (PCT 58) **''Wolf'' (PCT 59) **''Grizzly'' (PCT 60) **''Cougar'' (PCT 61) **''Moose'' (PCT 62)

Architecture

CFB Esquimalt contains several recognized and classified federal heritage buildings on the Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings. * Colwood Site ** Guard House Building 38 Recognized – 2002 ** Belmont Road Main Gatehouse BEL 13 Recognized – 2000 ** Cow Barn / Dairy RR6 Recognized – 2000 ** Gatehouse Lodge RR8 Recognized – 2000 ** Grant Block, Building 24 Recognized – 1990 ** Gymnasium RR22 Recognized – 2000 ** Hatley Castle Classified – 1986 ** Nixon Block RR24A Recognized – 2000 ** Stable / Garage RR4 Recognized – 2000 ** Swimming Pool RR22A Recognized – 2000 * Dockyard ** Admiral's Residence, former Naval Storekeeper's Residence, Building D101 Classified – 1991 ** Aldergrove Building DY 199 Recognized – 2001 ** Bickford Tower, Building D118 Recognized – 1988 ** Clothing / Receiving Stores, Building D211 Recognized – 1991 ** Cordage / Furniture Stores, Building D80 Recognized – 1991 ** Dry Dock Pumphouse, Building D175 Recognized – 1991 ** Electrical Shop Building DY 141 Recognized – 2001 ** Engineer's Residence, Building D1 Recognized – 1991 ** Factory, Building 51 Recognized – 1991 ** Guard House Building D214 Recognized – 1991 ** Main Office, Building D70 Recognized – 1991 ** Oil Stores Building D83 Recognized – 1991 ** Ordnance Stores, Building D77 Recognized – 1991 ** Pump House, Graving Dock No. 1 Recognized – 1991 ** Royal Navy Prison, Building D26 Recognized – 1991 ** Rum / Salt Meats Stores, Building D75-D76 Recognized – 1991 ** Sail Loft / Oil Stores, Building D109 Recognized – 1991 ** Shipwrights' Shed / Spar Shed, Building D113 Recognized – 1991 ** Stone Frigate Building D38 Recognized – 1991 ** Transformer House, Graving Dock No. 11 Recognized – 1991 ** Veterans' Cemetery Chapel Recognized – 1996 ** Warehouse Building D85 Recognized – 1986 **Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton, Buildings D250 & D252 Recognized – 1991; Final Construction Completed – 2020 * Naden ** Administration Block, Building 37 Recognized – 1990 ** Administration Office, former Offices of the Officer-in-Charge, Building 5 Recognized – 1991 ** Catholic Chapel, Building 35 Recognized – 1990 ** Communications School, Building 67 Recognized – 1991 ** Drill Hall Building 33-33A-33B Recognized – 1991 ** Gunnery School, former Building 50 Recognized – 1991 ** Nelles Block, Building 34 Recognized – 1994 ** Officer's Ward / Base Museum, Building 20 Recognized – 1990 ** Protestant Chapel Building 39 Recognized – 1990 ** Radar Training Building 92A Recognized – 2006 ** Stores / Museum Warehouse, Building 29 Recognized – 1990 ** Torpedo School, former Building 2 Recognized – 1991 ** Trades Training Building 92 Recognized – 2006 * Signal Hill ** Armament Artificer's and Sergeant's Quarters, former Building 522 Recognized – 1991 ** Gun Emplacement, Building 578 Recognized – 1990 ** Private Married Quarters, former Building 523 Recognized – 1991 ** Reserve Ordnance Stores, former Building 508 Recognized – 1991 * Work Point Barracks ** Administration Building 1020 Recognized – 1991 ** Artillery Barracks, Building 1075 Recognized – 1991 ** Barracks Building 1004 Recognized – 1991 ** Work Point Guard House Recognized – 2011 The Institute for Stained Glass in Canada has documented the stained glass at the Multi-Faith Naval Chapel and the stained glass at the Old Naval and Garrison Church (1866), now known as St Paul's Anglican.

Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum

CFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum is at HMCS ''Naden''. Building 20 (c. 1891), part of Naden Museum Square is a Municipal Heritage Property. Building 37 (c. 1889) part of the Naden Museum Square is also a Municipal Heritage Property and is also on the

Canadian Register of Historic Places The Canadian Register of Historic Places (CRHP; , ), also known as Canada's Historic Places, is an online directory of historic places in Canada which have been formally recognized for their heritage value by a federal, provincial, territorial ...

. HMCS ''Naden'' was named after the Dominion Government Ship ''Naden'', which was commissioned as a tender for the Royal Naval College of Canada from 1918 to 1922 for training in sail. The museum is affiliated with:

Canadian Museums Association The Canadian Museums Association (CMA; , ''AMC''), is a national non-profit organization for the promotion of museums in Canada. It represents Canadian museum professionals both within Canada and internationally. As with most trade associations ...

(CMA),

Canadian Heritage Information Network The Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN; , RCIP) is a special operating agency within the federal Department of Canadian Heritage that provides a networked interface to Canada's heritage institutions. It is based in Gatineau, Quebec, an ...

(CHIN), Organization of Military Museums of Canada (OMMC) and

Virtual Museum of Canada Digital Museums Canada (DMC; , ''MNC'') is a funding program in Canada "dedicated to online projects by the museum and heritage community," helping organizations to build digital capacity. Administered by the Canadian Museum of History (CMH) wi ...

Other facilities

CFB Esquimalt operates a bus service to provide intra-base transportation. ''The Lookout'' is the base newspaper, which covers local, national and international news with specific interest to Navy and

Canadian Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...

members and family issues. Other properties that are part of CFB Esquimalt include the Albert Head training area near Albert Head, Metchosin, located approximately by road southwest of downtown Victoria. It occupies approximately , four of which are developed as training facilities. Fort Albert Head was established in the late 1800s along with Fort Rodd Hill and other installations, to provide shore defence for the

and

Victoria Harbour Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbor, harbour in Hong Kong separating Hong Kong Island in the south from the Kowloon Peninsula to the north. It acts as both a major trading hub and tourist attraction of Hong Kong in general. Lying in ...

. The training area is used for Regular and Reserve Force training throughout the year and was previously home to the Regional Cadet Instructor School (Pacific) that trained Canadian Forces Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC) Branch that deliver the cadet program. Albert Head currently houses the British Columbia Patrol Company of the 4th Canadian Rangers Patrol Group, training facilities for the Naval Tactical Operations Group, as well as a

cadet A cadet is a student or trainee within various organisations, primarily in military contexts where individuals undergo training to become commissioned officers. However, several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime ...

summer training centre: Albert Head CTC. Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental Test Range at Nanoose Bay is also part of CFB Esquimalt. The facility provides non-explosive technical testing of

sonobuoy A sonobuoy (a portmanteau of sonar and buoy) is a small expendable sonar buoy dropped from aircraft or ships for anti-submarine warfare or underwater acoustic research. Sonobuoys are typically around in diameter and long. When floating on t ...

s, torpedoes and other equipment. Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot (CFAD) Rocky Point store excess ammunition for Maritime Forces Pacific and provides maintenance for missiles and torpedoes. The grounds are also used for by Albert Head CTC for survival training. Naval Radio Section Aldergrove in the

Fraser Valley The Fraser Valley is a geographical region in southwestern British Columbia, Canada and northwestern Washington State. It starts just west of Hope in a narrow valley encompassing the Fraser River and ends at the Pacific Ocean stretching from th ...

houses transmitting and receiving equipment for long-distance communications. Also, the ''CFB Esquimalt Base Fire Hall & Emergency Response Centre'' was founded to provide services to CFB Esquimalt and the civil community in the way of fire intervention and

emergency response Emergency services and rescue services are organizations that ensure public safety, security, and health by addressing and resolving different emergencies. Some of these agencies exist solely for addressing certain types of emergencies, while oth ...

Economic facts

* CFB Esquimalt contributes about $760 million (in 2023)into the local community annually. * CFB Esquimalt is the largest community employer.An Economic Development Strategy for the Township of Esquimalt
/ref> * CFB Esquimalt provides 7,866 jobs in the community. * CFB Esquimalt spends locally 770,847,000 dollars annually.

References

External links

Maritime Pacific Command infopage on CFB Esquimalt
*
CFB Esquimalt – Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters

The Look out – CFB Esquimalt newspaper
{{NHSC

History of British Columbia Greater Victoria History of the Royal Navy Historic buildings and structures in British Columbia National Historic Sites in British Columbia Canadian Forces Navy bases in Canada Military history of British Columbia