[5][note 1] The class was powered by two Babcock & Wilcox boilers connected to the two-shaft English-Electric geared steam turbines creating 30,000 shaft horsepower (22,000 kW).

[6] The most noticeable change for the Mackenzies was the replacement of the forward 3-inch (76 mm)/50 calibre Mk 22 guns of the St. Laurent design[note 2] with a dual Vickers 3-inch/70 calibre Mk 6 gun mount and the presence of a fire-control director atop the bridge superstructure.

The bridge was raised one full deck higher than on previous classes in order to see over the new gun mount.

Encompassing all the classes based on the initial St. Laurent (the remaining St. Laurent, Restigouche, Mackenzie, and Annapolis-class vessels), the DELEX upgrades were meant to improve their ability to combat modern Soviet submarines,[8] and to allow them to continue to operate as part of NATO task forces.

This meant that the ships would receive the new tactical data system ADLIPS, new radars, new fire control and satellite navigation.

[3][10] The Mark 46 torpedo had a range of 12,000 yards (11,000 m) at over 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph)[10][11] with a high-explosive warhead weighing 96.8 pounds (43.9 kg).

In 1970, Yukon sailed with sister ship Mackenzie and the auxiliary vessel Provider on a training deployment throughout the Pacific, working with several navies and visiting Japan.

[16] She underwent the DELEX refit at the Burrard Yarrow shipyard at Esquimalt, British Columbia from 28 May 1984 to 16 January 1985.

[13] The ship was initially purchased by the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia anchored on the New Westminster docks for almost a year before it was bought for $250,000.

She was gutted and cleaned before being scuttled in 100 feet (30 m) of water in the Pacific Ocean at Sunken Harbor off Mission Bay in San Diego as an artificial reef on 15 July 2000.