A CAD 3 billion dock expansion project (federal government facility) on Canada's west coast is being planned so it could be used for ship repairs. The services will be provided to passenger ships (cruisers and ferries) and Canadian Navy vessels.
The planned berth expansion will double the existing docking space at Esquimalt Graving Dock in Victoria BC (Vancouver Island, Canada).
With most of the vessels scheduled for regular maintenance works at the new facility to be either cruise ships, government (state-run) ferries or private vessels, some in the maritime industry have questioned why the private sector is not contributing at least some of the funds for this project.
Although owned by the British Columbia's government, the Esquimalt dock is predominately used by companies who lease the site for maintenance, repairs and refits of ships. The USA-based company Seaspan and BC Ferries account for most of the dock's use for the next decade.
Of the 217 vessels scheduled over the next decade, just 27 are operated by CCG-Canadian Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Navy or other federal agencies, while the rest are all from private industry, including 34 cruise ships.
The expansion project is scheduled for completion in 2027. The taxpayer-funded dock expansion includes the building of a warehouse for Seaspan which operates the shipyards in Victoria BC and Vancouver BC.