06/14/2026
We’re getting lots of great media coverage about our push for fairness in federal funding for ferries. As I reminded Global TV this week ferries aren’t a luxury for coastal communities, they are essential transportation links that connect people to work, health care, school, family, businesses and the rest of Canada.
The people of Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, Gulf Islands and North Coast are already struggling with the cost of living and the prospect of ferry fare hikes will hit the bottom line of small businesses and consumers alike
BC Ferries is one of the largest ferry systems in the world. It operates 25 routes, serves approximately 1,600 kilometres of coastline, maintains 47 terminals, operates a fleet of 37 vessels and carries more than 22 million passengers a year. According to the Library of Parliament, federal operational funding accounts for approximately 3% of BC Ferries' operating revenues. By comparison, federal funding covers approximately 43% of operating costs for federally supported ferry services in Atlantic Canada.
This disparity is also evident on a per capita basis. British Columbians receive approximately five to six dollars per person in federal operational ferry support, while Atlantic Canadians receive approximately $125 per person. These numbers reveal a significant imbalance in how the federal government supports essential transportation infrastructure across the country.
This isn’t about taking anything away from Atlantic Canada, those communities deserve federal support, it's about fairness for British Columbia.
The agreement that governs federal support for BC Ferries dates back to 1977 and Vancouver Island’s population has nearly doubled since then, ferry use has exploded, and the cost of living has skyrocketed. Yet Ottawa’s support hasn’t kept up.
I’m using every tool I have: petitions, letters, written petitions, Question Period and late-night debates in the House of Commons. I’ll keep dragging the government back into this debate because coastal communities deserve better.
Please sign the federal ferry funding petition and send Ottawa a clear message, we need fairness for B.C. ferry users:
https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-7474&fbclid=IwY2xjawSaZdpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFKT2M2ZVIxdU11STFkNlVwc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHtDAx79Q0N3OPao0pDj4IMEL-nRPF2RmayzZJH7BFCkKOaIzSoAIK7f27Qvw_aem_x1qMOS4FmtkssjShrTHIMw
