By Cheryl Jahn

bc ferries

Conservatives call for local ferry-building

Jul 9, 2025 | 1:56 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – It’s an aging fleet, and four of the ferries need to be replaced. But BC Ferries’ decision to go with a Chinese company has raised the dander of the BC Conservatives, who say those ships could be built in British Columbia.

“At the end of the day, we are in a significant turning point in our country’s history where we have to actually look at how we do business,” says Labour Critic and MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie, Kiel Giddens.

He says the deal to have a Chinese company build four new ferries is completely contrary to Bill 7, the Economic Stabilization Act, introduced by Premier David Eby in response to United States tariffs.

“China has tariffs on Canadian agricultural products that are severely hurting our farmers right now. They’re also in Northern B.C. They’re actually not accepting our craft pulp anymore from our pulp producers. So that is actually impacting northern B.C. So it does certainly have an impact.”

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But the fact is: What’s the better bang for the buck?

“So China is the dominant shipbuilder in the world,” says Charles Scott with the UNBC School of Business ” When you are doing a major capital purchase, you’ve got a balance. Do we get as much as we can for the budget we have, or do we buy local? If I’m buying local, I’m going to pay more. So if you’re looking to get the best possible configuration and number of ferries, you go to the people who will do what you need as cheaply as possible. And that in this sector is China.”

The federal government has weighed in on the issue, with the House of Commons transport committee agreeing to launch a study into the billion-dollar loan B.C. Ferries received from the Canada Infrastructure Bank to finance the purchase of four new ferries. “Obviously, the federal transport minister has raised some serious concerns around cyber security, around making sure that federal dollars are not going toward this contract. So that’s just a case in point. Bill 7. These tools need to be used now so that we stop this deal. We in government, the NDP, cannot continue down this path. And it’s time for Premier David Eby to to stop and make sure that they’re actually buying Canadian and building in B.C.

Giddens argues Bill 7 gives government the opportunity to issue a procurement order to BC Ferries.