By CP

Navy ‘comfortable’ with one temporary support ship: Commander

Jan 24, 2019 | 1:24 PM

OTTAWA — The commander of the Royal Canadian Navy says he is “comfortable” having only one temporary support ship given the current timeline for the permanent vessels to start arriving.

The federal government is facing calls and pressure from Quebec and opposition parties to lease a second temporary support vessel from Davie Shipbuilding pending the completion of new ships to replace the ones that were retired in 2015.

However Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd tells The Canadian Press the first ship is meeting the navy’s requirements and that his focus is on the two permanent support ships currently being built in Vancouver.

While the scheduled delivery of those vessels has slipped several times over the years, defence officials say they are now reasonably confident the first will be delivered around 2023.

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The federal government paid Quebec-based Davie nearly $700-million to lease a converted civilian vessel to be a temporary support ship and it is currently working in the Pacific with the navy.

Advocates for a second ship have said the plan is a win-win by arguing that the navy needs the vessel and the deal will support hundreds of underemployed Davie workers in the Quebec City area.

The Canadian Press