5 0 0 ▁meters ▁distant , ▁able ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁ships ▁larger ▁than ▁Pan am ax ▁size . ▁Today , ▁this ▁dock ▁is ▁a ▁separate ▁facility ▁named ▁Es qu im alt ▁Gra ving ▁D ock . ▁It ▁is ▁operated ▁by ▁Public ▁Services ▁and ▁Pro c ure ment ▁Canada ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁non - mil it ary ▁hard ▁bottom ▁dry ▁dock ▁on ▁the ▁west ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁Amer icas . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁R MS ▁Queen ▁Elizabeth ▁spent ▁two ▁weeks ▁in ▁the ▁Es qu im alt ▁Gra ving ▁D ock ▁ref itting ▁and ▁adding ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁extra ▁ber th s ▁for ▁tro op ship ▁duty . ▁ ▁St abil izer ▁po ckets ▁have ▁more ▁recently ▁been ▁built ▁into ▁the ▁concrete ▁walls ▁of ▁the ▁dry d ock . ▁This ▁new ▁feature ▁enables ▁cru ise ▁ships ▁to ▁extend ▁their ▁stabil izers ▁for ▁ins pection , ▁maintenance ▁and ▁repair ▁while ▁in ▁dry d ock . ▁ ▁D ock yard ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁a ▁cons olid ation ▁of ▁defence ▁forces ▁in ▁Canada ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁dry d ock ' s ▁re formation ▁as ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Forces ▁Base ▁Es qu im alt . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁now ▁home ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Fle et ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Canadian ▁Navy . ▁The ▁dock yard , ▁along ▁with ▁three ▁nearby ▁sites ▁( the ▁former ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁Hospital , ▁the ▁V eter ans ’ ▁C emetery ▁and ▁the ▁Cole ▁Island ▁Magazine ) ▁were ▁designated ▁the ▁Es