Victoria (Richa Walia): Premier David Eby is calling on the federal government to increase its support for ferry users in British Columbia after Prime Minister Mark Carney fulfilled his promise to cut ferry fares by 50% in Eastern Canada.
Eby pointed out a stark funding gap: while Ottawa provides approximately $300 per person in subsidies for East Coast ferry users, those in B.C. receive just $1 per person. “We need the federal government to take a serious look at this policy and ensure fair treatment for ferry users in British Columbia,” Eby said Monday.
Eastern Canada Gets Big Cuts, B.C. Left Behind
Starting Aug. 1, fares for passengers, vehicles, and commercial traffic on federally supported ferry services in Eastern Canada will be reduced by half. Ottawa will also increase funding to Marine Atlantic, the federal Crown corporation operating the Nova Scotia–Newfoundland route, while freezing commercial freight rates on that corridor.
Meanwhile, B.C. ferry users continue to face some of the highest costs in the country, with federal support remaining stagnant for nearly two decades.
Ferry Funding Inequity Under Scrutiny
Eby has urged the House of Commons transport committee, which is already investigating a $1-billion loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank to B.C. Ferries for four new electric-diesel ships, to also examine the imbalance in federal funding between coasts.
“I encourage the federal committee to look at how differently the coasts are treated when it comes to ferry support,” Eby said. “There is a huge opportunity for Ottawa to work with us not only to ensure fairness for B.C. ferry users but also to strengthen shipbuilding in Canada.”
B.C. Ferries’ Position
In a statement, B.C. Ferries defended its operations, noting it runs “one of the largest and most complex ferry systems in the world” and that “the vast majority of system costs are paid directly by ferry users.”
Without additional federal funding, the company warned, fares could increase by more than 30% by 2028 to meet rising operating and infrastructure costs.
Federal Response and Historical Context
Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland’s office stated that federal ferry funding focuses on “constitutionally mandated and interprovincial ferry services,” such as those connecting Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.
Ottawa’s subsidy for B.C. Ferry services date back to a 1977 agreement negotiated by then-Premier Bill Bennett, while Eastern Canadian ferry subsidies date back to 1941 through the Ferry Services Contribution Program.
Despite this, Eby maintains that the disparity is unacceptable: “B.C. ferry users deserve the same fair treatment as those on the East Coast. Ottawa must step up.”
