The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is set to extend the operational life of its aging Victoria-class submarines, acquired from Britain in the late 1990s, for at least another decade.These submarines, plagued by frequent mechanical failures, have been the backbone of Canada's submarine fleet since their acquisition.

Despite their reliability issues—including a deadly fire, a grounding incident, and corrosion problems—the RCN has no choice but to keep them running until new vessels from Germany are delivered by 2034.

Experts warn that maintaining these outdated subs is becoming increasingly costly and technically challenging, with spare parts becoming scarce and expensive to source.

Defence analysts criticize the government's decision to prioritize cost savings over long-term sustainability, arguing that the Victoria-class fleet has already provided minimal operational value despite significant investment.The navy is now focused on training crews for the upcoming German submarines, further complicating efforts to keep the current fleet functional.

While some units are undergoing maintenance, Canada's sole operational submarine, HMCS Corner Brook, remains active, though its future is uncertain as the fleet approaches its service life limit by 2034-2040.