Brandon Mayor Confirms HMCS Brandon Ship Won't Be Relocated Due to Costs
The HMCS Brandon will not be relocated to Brandon due to prohibitive transportation costs, according to Mayor Jeff Fawcett. The city plans to receive artifacts from the ship and has requested a future vessel be named HMCS Brandon.
The costs to transport the 55-meter Kingston-class ship through the Rocky Mountains are estimated in the tens of millions, as it cannot be sailed and would need to be dismantled for transport from British Columbia. The ship was decommissioned in September in Esquimalt, B.C.
The city has received important items such as the anchor and propeller, while the bell will be displayed in museums. Discussions on establishing a naval reserve base in Brandon are ongoing, with Fawcett and MP Grant Jackson meeting with navy officials to explore feasibility. The HMCS Brandon was commissioned in 1999 and served various operations, primarily crewed by reservists.
