Doerkson Says New Government Will Review BC Ferries Shipbuilding Contract
Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson says the incoming Conservative government wants to look at BC Ferries' contract with a Chinese shipyard for four new vessels.
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Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson said October 30 that the incoming BC Conservative government wants to review BC Ferries' contract with a Chinese shipyard for four new vessels, though he acknowledged the government has not yet seen the contract details.
"I don't know what the deal looks like, I mean we would obviously have an interest in seeing that," Doerkson told Global News. "There's so much that we haven't seen, but there's a reason to look at it for the betterment of British Columbia and I'll look at it for sure."
BC Ferries awarded a contract to Weihai Shipyards in China to build four Summit-class hybrid-electric ferries, with the first delivery scheduled for 2029. The corporation said at the time that no Canadian shipyard had submitted a bid for the project. A study found that building the four ferries in BC would have added $1.5 billion in economic activity to the province, most of it locally, Global News reported.
What experts say about changing the deal
Werner Antweiler, a professor at UBC's Sauder School of Business, told Global News the contracts are signed and that cancelling them would carry a financial penalty. "That is a cost that would have to be considered in addition to finding a replacement," he said.
Jim Stanford, an economist and director of the Centre for Future Work, said the incoming government would need to go further than a review. "They will have to be ready with concrete measures including a change in the mandate for BC Ferries to ensure economic development issues are part of what BC Ferries does," Stanford told Global News.
Eric McNeely, president of the BC Ferries and Marine Workers Union, said he believes the Summit-class contract with Weihai Shipyards is likely locked in, but that other vessels in the fleet will also need renewal. Those future contracts could still be handled differently, he told Global News.
The platform promise
The Conservative Party of BC platform, page 29, promises to review the current fleet renewal contracts and says BC should not build ships in China. That commitment is tracked at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-review-ferry-fleet-contracts.
Change at BC Ferries
CEO Nicolas Jimenez was dismissed two days after the October 24 election, as part of what BC Ferries called a revitalization review. BC Ferries said in a statement that it recognizes the interest in what a change in government and the recent leadership transition could mean for the fleet renewal program.
People who ride BC Ferries can follow the government's stated commitment on fleet contracts at the BC provincial tracker. The Conservative platform also promises a Passenger Charter of Rights and reliable Wi-Fi on major routes and terminals.
Questions this story answers
What did Doerkson say about BC Ferries shipbuilding?
Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson told Global News on October 30 that the incoming government has an interest in reviewing BC Ferries' contract with Weihai Shipyards for four new ferries. 'There's so much that we haven't seen, but there's a reason to look at it for the betterment of British Columbia and I'll look at it for sure,' he said. He acknowledged the government has not yet seen the contract details.
Which ferries were contracted to a Chinese shipyard, and why?
BC Ferries contracted Weihai Shipyards in China to build four Summit-class hybrid-electric ferries, with the first vessel expected to be delivered in 2029. According to Global News, BC Ferries said no Canadian shipyard submitted a bid for the project, which prompted the choice of the Chinese yard.
What would it cost to cancel the contract?
Werner Antweiler, a professor at UBC's Sauder School of Business, told Global News that the contracts have been signed and that cancelling them would carry a financial penalty. He said that cost would need to be considered alongside any effort to find a replacement builder.
What does a union leader say about the prospect of changing the contract?
Eric McNeely, president of the BC Ferries and Marine Workers Union, told Global News he believes the Summit-class contract with Weihai Shipyards is likely locked in. He said other vessels in the BC Ferries fleet will also need renewal, and those future contracts could be handled differently.
What does the Conservative platform promise on BC Ferries?
The Conservative Party of BC platform, page 29, promises to review the current fleet renewal contracts and says BC should not build ships in China. That promise is tracked at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-review-ferry-fleet-contracts.
What happened to BC Ferries' CEO after the election?
CEO Nicolas Jimenez was dismissed two days after the October 24 election, as part of what BC Ferries called a revitalization review, according to Global News. BC Ferries said it recognizes the interest in what a change in government and the leadership transition could mean for the fleet renewal program.
What economic impact would building the ferries in BC have had?
A study cited by Global News found that building the four ferries in British Columbia would have generated an additional $1.5 billion in economic activity, most of it within the province. The study's author and commissioning body are not named in the Global News report.
Where can BC ferry users follow updates on the new government's plans?
The voche.me tracker for the Conservative government lists the BC Ferries fleet review promise and other transportation commitments. The page is at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker and updates as the government takes action on its commitments.
Sources
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