Overview
- BC Ferries chose China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards to build four new major vessels after a global bidding process that attracted no Canadian proposals.
- The provincially owned ferry operator’s reliance on public funding, coupled with a single government shareholder, has intensified scrutiny of the contract’s domestic impact.
- Bruce Williams, CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, called the selection “strongly informed” and vital for meeting growing coastal transit demands.
- Set for spring 2029 service, the hybrid diesel-electric ferries will provide 52% more passenger space, 24% more vehicle capacity along with low-noise propellers to protect at-risk whales.
- Federal Conservative MP Jeff Kibble has urged that a $33-million grant be tied to Canadian builds; Transport Minister Mike Farnworth noted BC Ferries’ independent operational authority.