New government will examine BC Ferries shipbuilding, Doerkson says
"I don't know what the deal looks like, I mean we would obviously have an interest in seeing that," Lorne Doerkson said of the BC Ferries deal made last year.
B.C. Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson is set to become the new leader of the province and intends to investigate BC Ferries, particularly the decision to award a contract for new ferries to a Chinese shipyard. Doerkson expressed interest in the matter, acknowledging the lack of transparency surrounding the contract. BC Ferries opted to work with Weihai Shipyards to construct four new Summit-class hybrid-electric ferries, with the first delivery slated for 2029.
The decision drew criticism, and Werner Antweiler, a UBC professor, noted that abandoning the contracts would incur substantial costs. A study revealed that building the ferries in B.C. could generate $1.5 billion in economic activity. The Conservatives promised to address BC Ferries issues during the campaign, but reshoring shipbuilding requires concrete measures.
Jim Stanford, an economist, emphasized the need for BC Ferries to include economic development in its mandate. The BC Ferries CEO, Nicholas Jimenez, was removed just two days after the election as part of a "revitalization review." BC Ferries president Eric McNeely acknowledged the impact of the government transition on the fleet renewal program.
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