BC Ferries faces criticism for awarding contract to China
BC Ferries is facing backlash from opposition critics after awarding a contract to a Chinese state-owned shipyard to build four new major vessels.
BC Ferries is facing backlash from opposition critics after awarding a contract to a Chinese state-owned shipyard to build four new major vessels, a move the company says is based on technical merit and cost-efficiency.
The deal, announced Tuesday, will see China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards construct the ferries, which are expected to enter service between 2029 and 2031.
BC Ferries president and CEO Nicolas Jimenez said the selection followed a “rigorous global procurement process” and stressed the company’s focus on safety, quality, and value.
“CMI Weihai is a global leader in passenger ferry construction,” said Jimenez. “It was the clear choice based on the overall strength of its bid.”
But Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth said in a written statement he is “disappointed more involvement from Canadian shipyards was not part of the contract,” noting his concern about doing business with countries “actively harming Canada’s economy” through retaliatory tariffs.
BC Ferries, an independent corporation, is not releasing the full value of the fixed-price contract, citing procurement confidentiality and future negotiation risks.
Jimenez confirmed the deal falls within limits approved by the BC Ferries Commissioner and includes safeguards such as refund guarantees and milestone-based payments.
“This isn’t just a ferry contract. It’s a betrayal of our workers, our security, our values, and our future,” tweeted BC Conservative MLA Harman Bhangu.
“Why are BC taxpayers funding Beijing’s military-industrial complex?!”
The BC Conservative Party accused Premier David Eby of “selling out BC workers” and “handing the contract and your tax dollars to a Chinese state-owned shipyard.”
Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney also weighed in, contrasting BC’s decision to block Canadian energy exports while awarding vessel contracts to “a heavily subsidized Chinese state-owned shipyard.”
Kenney questioned why the Eby government, which has limited U.S. procurement, would “reward the PRC for its sterling record on human rights, forced labour, and DEI.”
Jimenez dismissed concerns about geopolitical tensions, saying his priority is delivering reliable service. “When it comes to trade policy, industrial policy, geopolitics, we defer to the government,” he told reporters.
Ed Hooper, BC Ferries’ head of fleet renewal, said no Canadian firms submitted proposals in the final bidding phase.
Seaspan, a North Vancouver shipbuilder, said last year that Canadian shipyards “cannot compete with low-wage countries” with higher employment costs and challenging environmental regulations.
A BC Ferries team will oversee construction on-site. The company says the new ferries will generate $1.2 billion in wages and contribute $2.2 billion to BC’s GDP over their lifetimes, including $230 million in local maintenance spending in their first decade.
The diesel-battery hybrid vessels will replace four aging ships in the fleet, including the Queen of New Westminster, which was out of service for 200 days last year due to mechanical failure. Each of the vessels being replaced will turn 50 years old in 2026.
BC Ferries had proposed buying five vessels, but the provincial regulator denied the fifth, saying it was not essential.
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This is beyond disgusting! BC has gone beyond socialism directly into communism, and the Chinese are probably having a big party right now. Will Carney be in attendance?
1. They'll be full of spyware. 2. They'll sink within weeks if they even make it here. 3. Are the wages and working conditions for Chinese employees acceptable by Canadian standards? I think not. So why help to perpetuate them?