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A B.C. workers’ union has launched a campaign opposing plans to build four new B.C. Ferries vessels in China and advocating for domestic firms to be prioritized, saying the deal with the foreign shipyard will result in lost Canadian wages, tax revenue, and economic opportunity.
The BC Ferry and Marine Workers’ Union has launched a
campaign called “Build Them Here,” encouraging citizens to ask the provincial and federal governments to keep shipbuilding contracts in Canada. The union says the recent decision by BC Ferries, a publicly owned ferry operator, to hire a Chinese state-owned shipyard to build four new vessels means public money is being used to support economies abroad instead of creating jobs locally.
“This isn’t just about ferries. It’s about whether public money should create good jobs here or be used to prop up foreign economies. It’s about a generation of young workers being told there’s no place for them in B.C.’s future,” reads the campaign’s description.
“We’re sick of watching contracts, paycheques and pride go overseas while we’re told to wait for trickle-down scraps.”
The union
represents more than 4,500 workers across the province. As of publication time, about 500 people have
signed a form to contact their local MLA, and 340 have
registered to voice their concerns to their MP.
The union says that while BC Ferries’ contract with the Chinese shipyard has been signed, the issue isn’t over, as the ferry operator plans to build more vessels in the future and “there’s still time to influence decisions.”
“We’re calling on the province to pause, step in, fix the system and commit to building ships right here in Canada,” the union says.
BC Ferries
announced in early June it had hired state-owned China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards to build four vessels, following a “rigorous global procurement process.”
The move
sparked concern among both
federal and
provincial politicians, who have pointed to the need to prioritize Canadian firms—particularly amid ongoing tariff tensions—and the national
security risks associated with the Chinese communist regime.
No Canadian shipyard participated in the procurement process, with B.C. shipyard Seaspan
saying it didn’t bid on the contract due to the difficulty of competing with countries that have lower industry standards.
A second Canadian firm, Davie shipyard, also decided against bidding on the contract, citing China
’s low prices, according to an Aug. 1 letter
shared on social media on Aug. 8 by Conservative MP Aaron Gunn.
“Due to the inherent price disadvantage caused by massive state subsidies for Chinese shipyards, coupled with low wages, weak environmental standards, and minimal labour protections, no Canadian or Western shipyard could reasonably compete, leaving us no choice but to withdraw,” reads the
letter.
The debate intensified in late June when it was
revealed that the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), a federal agency, is providing a $1 billion loan to BC Ferries for the purchase of the new vessels,
prompting a study into the funding by the parliamentary transport committee. The Conservatives have
called for the cancellation of the loan, saying the funding should support domestic industries.
The committee on Aug. 1
heard testimony from Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, who oversees the CIB, Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland, CIB CEO Ehren Cory, and BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez. MPs on the committee later passed a
motion to have all documents related to the procurement deal and loan submitted in the next two months.
While both federal ministers expressed disappointment at the selection of the Chinese firm, they did not call for the loan’s cancellation.
Another B.C. union opposing the deal with the Chinese shipyard is the B.C. Building Trades, which also launched a
campaign recently, asking the government to change course and have BC Ferries’ vessels built in Canada. The campaign has been signed by 408 supporters as of publication time.
The campaign is led by the union representing roughly 5,000 workers employed in the ferry industry, who are also asking for a “Canadian shipbuilding strategy” that includes requirements for B.C. workers and Canadian materials.
“BC Ferries plans to build four major new ferries in China, even though we have world-class shipbuilders right here in British Columbia,” reads the campaign’s description. “That’s not just the wrong choice, it’s a missed opportunity for 5000+ good local jobs, apprenticeships, and a stronger BC economy.”
B.C. Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez has
said the company is facing challenges from an aging fleet, financial pressures, and growing demand, and that the Chinese proposal offered “the best combination of value, quality, delivery, timelines and protections for our customers throughout the build.”
He told the committee on Aug. 1 that the cancellation of the contract would have a negative impact on the local community that depends on their services.
B.C. Premier David Eby has
said that while the selection of the Chinese shipyard is “not ideal,” he will not ask BC Ferries to reopen the procurement process given the urgent need for new vessels and the costs and time involved.
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