HMCS Ontario (C53)

HMCS Ontario was a Minotaur class light cruiser built for the Royal Navy as HMS Minotaur (53), but transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy on completion and renamed Ontario.

She was built by Harland & Wolff of Belfast; laid down on 20 November 1941 and launched on 29 July 1943. She was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in July 1944, and completed and commissioned with them on 25 May 1945.

She sailed to join the 4th Cruiser Squadron in the Pacific Theatre, but was too late to see active service, although she was employed in the operations at Hong Kong, Manila and in Japan. She returned home for refit, arriving at Esquimalt on 27 November 1945. In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. She was used for training duties postwar until paid off on 15 October 1958. She arrived at Osaka for breaking up on 19 November 1960.

Ship's Bell
The ship's bell of HMCS Ontario (III) is currently held at HMCS ONTARIO Sea Cadet Summer Training Centre in Kingston, Ontario. The second bell is held by the Maritime Museum of British Columbia. The Christening Bells Project at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum includes information from the ship's bell of HMCS Ontario, which was used for baptism of babies onboard ship.

Later use of the name
On 13 July 1981 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Camp Frontnac was renamed HMCS ONTARIO Sea Cadet Training Establishment located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, at the Royal Military College of Canada. In later years ONTARIO would be redesignated as HMCS ONTARIO Sea Cadet Summer Training Centre.

Publications

 * WWII cruisers
 * HMCS Ontario at Uboat.net
 * HMS Minotaur at Uboat.net
 * http://www.cadets.ca/cstc/ontario/Ontario
 * http://www.cadets.ca/cstc/ontario/Ontario