The squadron moved to Ottawa/Rockcliffe Airport in February 1937, where it was tasked as a photographic unit, equipped with Fairchild 71, Bellanca Pacemaker and Canadian Vickers Vedette.

8 (GR) Squadron at Sydney, Nova Scotia, It was redesignated Bomber Reconnaissance (BR) at the end of October 1939.

Equipped with Northrop Deltas and Bristol Bolingbrokes, the squadron was tasked with anti-submarine duty while serving with RCAF Eastern Air Command.

[3] In December 1941, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the squadron was moved to RCAF Station Sea Island on the west coast of Canada as part of RCAF Western Air Command.

In June 1942 in response to the Japanese attack on the Aleutians, it was moved to Alaska flying the Bristol Bolingbroke V as part of RCAF X Wing, operating from Elmendorf Army Airfield (Anchorage), with small detachments stationed at Naval Air Station Kodiak and Marks Air Force Base (Nome).