HMCS Regina welcomes Cdr Meghan Coates as new Commanding Officer

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina has a new captain.

Commander (Cdr) Meghan Coates was appointed Commanding Officer (CO) of the Halifax-class frigate in a change of command ceremony at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, B.C., on June 30, 2022.

“I am very excited and grateful to be appointed CO of HMCS Regina,” Cdr Coates said.

Cdr Coates’ appointment follows the milestone appointment of Cdr Annick Fortin as CO of HMCS Winnipeg in March 2022, which marked Cdr Fortin’s second appointment as a woman CO of a Halifax-class ship on the West Coast, following taking command of HMCS Regina in June 2021.

The importance of being a woman CO of a frigate is not lost on Cdr Coates.

“I am extremely grateful to all the women Naval Warfare Officers who have been COs on any of our ships, as they have helped break the glass ceiling and demonstrate women are more than capable of these demanding and responsible positions,” she said.

Cdr Coates said she is not one to keep track of women in essential posts in the RCN because there are numerous posts, but is glad to see the list of female commanders growing.

“It is extremely important for other women to have role models to look up to and it is wonderful to see my peers and friends in command roles, whether they are in positions at sea or ashore,” she said.

Originally from St. Stephen, N.B., Cdr Coates’ path to commanding Regina was 23 years in the making.

She decided on a Royal Canadian Navy career path as an NWO before graduating high school in 1999. At the time, she thought the Navy would be a great way to maintain her active lifestyle while also allowing her to sail the world.

She says Navy life has more than delivered on its promise of adventure.

In 2005, she conducted an Arctic sovereignty patrol with HMCS Fredericton. The following year on board Fredericton, she acted as a Bridge Watch Keeper in a joint operations mission with the RCMP off the coast of Africa.

In 2008, she circumnavigated the world aboard HMCS Calgary as an Above Water Warfare Officer.

From July 2020 to August 2021, she served as Executive Officer of Calgary. Her ship conducted the largest heroin seizure in Combined Maritime Forces history. The big bust happened while the vessel was deployed to the Arabian Sea as part of Operation Artemis, Canada’s effort to stop terrorism and make Middle Eastern waters more secure.

Cdr Coates was promoted to her current rank in November 2020.

She is married to Captain (Navy) Matthew Coates, Commanding Officer of the Naval Personnel Training Group. The couple has two boys, Nathaniel, 11, and Jackson, 8.

As Regina goes through an extended work period, Cdr Coates is determined to get the ship operational as soon as the refit is complete. The ship is expected to return to Esquimalt this coming winter.

Some members of the ship’s company not currently on summer leave will be attached to other units. Those in the shore office will prepare for qualification training or be sent to other ships to help with tasks at hand. She and her staff also conduct damage control plotting and fire (preparedness) tours.

“We have been getting great support from other ships that will provide a platform in the fall for our duty watch personnel, so they can start getting back into the best practices on ships procedures again,” she said.

She added that raising the morale of each crew member is one of her biggest priorities as Captain. The effort to boost morale in between training and sailing opportunities includes monthly professional development days and weekly events such as nature hikes, yoga and physical training classes. It is not always easy, but Cdr Coates said she has her methods of success.

“The best way to keep morale high is to talk to sailors and see what is on their minds, and to plan social activities like hikes, walks and barbecues, whether they are ship-wide or in a department,” she said.

The ship’s company is looking forward to visiting its namesake city in Saskatchewan in September.