In March 1958, the Royal Canadian Navy began reviewing the possibility of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines under then-Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Harry DeWolf.

[1] The NSST delivered their final report in June 1959 recommending the American Skipjack class as the design of choice, and the acquisition of five of the submarines.

[2] Under the new Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Herbert Rayner, the proposal was presented to the Cabinet of Canada suggesting the acquisition of 12 new submarines.

By August 1960, the nuclear-powered submarine option was passed over for conventionally-powered subs and the Government ultimately chose the British diesel-electric Oberon class.

[3] After the election of the new Liberal Government in 1963, the 1964 defence white paper stated that "careful study" was being given to the option of building two or three nuclear-powered submarines.

The White Paper recommended the building of 10 to 12 nuclear-powered submarines, to be stationed on patrol routes in the Northeast Pacific, Arctic and Northwest Atlantic Oceans.

The goal was to build up a three-ocean navy, assert Canadian sovereignty over Arctic waters, and enhance contributions to NATO operations.

They also needed to have a low noise and radiation signatures, the most modern passive sonars and command, control and communications systems.

[20][22] Members of the opposition focused on the estimated C$8 billion[23] cost of the project, pointing out the steadily increasing size of the federal deficit and debt.

[23] The United States objected to the RCN having SSNs as part of its fleet, fearing a significant impact to its own submarine operations in North American waters and possible conflict over access to the Northwest Passage.

However, public opinion had turned against the program and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney placed the submarines behind other costly government priorities.

[22][27] Government support of the project was seen to be flagging when Perrin Beatty was moved to another Cabinet position and replaced by Bill McKnight as Minister of Defence.