Two Canadian warships depart Halifax for NATO mine-hunting mission in European waters

Two Canadian Navy ships set out from Halifax on Tuesday morning.

HALIFAX — Two Canadian warships sailed out of Halifax harbour Tuesday on a NATO mission to detect and neutralize sea mines in European waters.

The mission is part of Operation Reassurance, which has been dedicated to deterring Russian aggression in central and eastern Europe since Russia invaded and seized Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

The Royal Canadian Navy says the two ships -- HMCS Moncton and HMCS Edmonton -- each carry about 45 sailors and will be hunting for mines from July to October.

The Kingston-class coastal defence vessels are equipped with advanced mine countermeasures, including autonomous underwater vehicles and navy dive teams. These “clearance divers” are trained in deepsea mine disposal, underwater repairs, salvage operations and explosive ordnance disposal.

“NATO’s collective defence and international maritime security remain paramount to Canada,” Rear-Admiral Josee Kurtz, commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic, said Tuesday in a statement.

“His Majesty’s Canadian Ships Moncton and Edmonton … will demonstrate the Royal Canadian Navy’s will to deliver excellence at sea in partnership with our allies.”

Operation Reassurance is currently Canada’s largest overseas military operation.

More than 3,000 military members are deployed throughout the year to support the operation.

The Royal Canadian Air Force provides logistical support from Glasgow Prestwick Airport in western Scotland, and the army leads the NATO multinational brigade based in Latvia. The Canadian military has led the multinational force in Adazi Military Base in Latvia since 2016.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Canada and NATO moved to expand its battlegroup in Latvia. And the following year, the Canadian government committed to more than double its Latvia military mission.

It is one of several NATO battle brigades deployed in eastern Europe.

In August 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney travelled to Latvia where he announced the renewal of Operation Reassurance for another three years. At the time, Canada listed 13 European nations among those in the Latvian brigade.

By Michael MacDonald

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2026.