CFB Esquimalt

About

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. As of 2018, 4,411 military personnel and 2,762 civilians work at CFB Esquimalt. It is located in the very south of British Columbia.

The base occupies approximately 41 km 2 (10,000 acres) at the southern tip of Vancouver Island on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, in the municipality of Esquimalt, adjacent to the western limit of the provincial capital, Victoria.

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, known as HMC Dockyard Esquimalt, dates to the Royal Navy 's Esquimalt Royal Navy Dockyard (1842–1905) and was the Royal Navy's Pacific Station until 1911. Today it serves as the Royal Canadian Navy headquarters in the Pacific.

- Canadian Forces Health Services Centre (Pacific)

- 5th (British Columbia) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA

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

In March 2025, CFB Esquimalt services the following ships assigned to Canadian Fleet Pacific

- Harry DeWolf -class offshore patrol vessels

- Orca -class patrol craft training tender

CFB Esquimalt contains several recognized and classified federal heritage buildings on the Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings.

- Guard House Building 38 Recognized – 2002

- Belmont Road Main Gatehouse BEL 13 Recognized – 2000

- Cow Barn / Dairy RR6 Recognized – 2000

- Grant Block, Building 24 Recognized – 1990

- 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