BC Ferries board removes CEO Nicolas Jimenez and launches a service review four days after the provincial election
The board of BC Ferries replaced its president and CEO on October 26, days after the Conservative election win, and ordered an internal review of how the ferry system operates.
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The board of BC Ferries announced on October 26 that Nicolas Jimenez has left as president and CEO, four days after the Conservative Party of BC won the October 24 provincial election, Daily Hive reported.
Board chair Cathy McLay announced that Brian Anderson, the company's vice-president responsible for strategy and planning, will take over as interim president and CEO immediately. The board also launched what it calls a Revitalization Review of how the ferry system operates.
What the board said
McLay's statement said the ferry system faces increasing demands and needs new approaches to serving passengers and coastal communities. It did not explain the specific reasons for the leadership change or give a timeline for appointing a permanent president and CEO.
The statement thanked Jimenez for his contributions and wished him success. Jimenez joined BC Ferries as president and CEO in March 2023, after 16 years at ICBC where he served as president and CEO from December 2017 to March 2023.
Dallyn Willis, the company's executive vice-president and chief financial officer, will take on strategy and planning duties and lead the Revitalization Review, with the board overseeing that work. The review will look for ways to make better use of the ferry system and improve services, though no specific changes or timeline have been set.
The board said it will work with the incoming provincial government, the BC Ferry Authority and the BC Ferries Commissioner on next steps for the ferry system.
The incoming government's BC Ferries promises
The Conservative Party of BC 2026 platform, page 29, contains several BC Ferries commitments. Among them:
- Hold BC Ferries leaders to account and reduce board-level overlap
- Review the current BC Ferries fleet renewal contracts and do not build ships in China
- Create a BC Ferries Passenger Charter of Rights with clear standards for reliability, on-time performance, capacity, affordability and customer service
In late 2024, Jimenez warned that a fare increase equal to a one-time 30 per cent hike in 2028 would be needed for BC Ferries to keep up with its growing costs. The BC Ferries Commissioner is currently reviewing the company's financial plans to set fare increase limits from April 2028 to March 2032.
Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson has said his government will be ready to start work on the day it is sworn in. No swearing-in date has been announced. All BC government promises are on the BC promise tracker.
Questions this story answers
Who replaced Nicolas Jimenez as CEO of BC Ferries?
Brian Anderson, the vice-president responsible for strategy and planning at BC Ferries, was named interim president and CEO on October 26, 2026, when the board announced Nicolas Jimenez had left the organization, Daily Hive reported. Anderson also takes on strategy and planning duties while the board conducts its review.
Why was BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez removed?
Board chair Cathy McLay's October 26, 2026 statement did not explain the specific reasons for the leadership change or provide a timeline for appointing a permanent president and CEO, Daily Hive reported. The statement thanked Jimenez for his contributions and wished him success.
What is the BC Ferries Revitalization Review?
The BC Ferries board launched what it calls a Revitalization Review alongside the leadership change on October 26, 2026, Daily Hive reported. The board said the review will look for ways to make better use of the ferry system and improve services. No specific changes or a timeline for completing the review were provided. Dallyn Willis, the executive vice-president and chief financial officer, will lead the review with the board overseeing the work.
When did Nicolas Jimenez join BC Ferries as CEO?
Nicolas Jimenez became president and CEO of BC Ferries in March 2023, Daily Hive reported. He had previously been president and CEO of ICBC from December 2017 to March 2023, where he worked for 16 years.
Does the BC Conservative platform say anything about BC Ferries leadership?
Yes. The Conservative Party of BC 2026 platform, page 29, promises to hold BC Ferries leadership to account and reduce redundancy at the board level. The platform also promises to review the current fleet renewal contracts and says BC should not build ships in China, and to create a BC Ferries Passenger Charter of Rights with clear standards for reliability, on-time performance, capacity, affordability and customer service.
What did the BC Ferries board say about working with the new government?
Board chair Cathy McLay's statement on October 26, 2026 said the board will work with the incoming provincial government, the BC Ferry Authority and the BC Ferries Commissioner on the next strategies for the coastal ferry system, Daily Hive reported. BC Ferries is operated as a private company wholly owned by the provincial government.
What is the timeline for BC Ferries fare changes?
The independent BC Ferries Commissioner is reviewing the company's latest financial and operating plans to set how much average fares can increase each year from April 2028 through March 2032, Daily Hive reported. A preliminary decision is expected by the end of March 2027, with final fare limits set by September 2027.
Where can I follow whether the new BC government keeps its BC Ferries promises?
The BC Ferries promises in the Conservative platform are listed on the voche.me promise tracker at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#government, each with the platform page it comes from. They cover holding leadership to account, reviewing fleet contracts, creating a Passenger Charter of Rights, bringing ferry construction work to BC and improving Wi-Fi on major routes.
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