Canadian sloops as a practical naval foundation

Small sloops offered Canada an affordable way to sustain shipbuilding, naval personnel, and several peacetime services before an emergency. The same hull could support minelaying, minesweeping, anti-submarine work, convoy escort, and oceanography. A continuous program would require fewer crews than cruisers while keeping yards and the navy active. The absence of this modest foundation was a self-imposed mistake rather than a treaty limit.