Why Calls Are Growing to Return BC Ferries to Public Control
There’s a strong and increasingly frustrated voice coming out of coastal British Columbia right now, and it’s focused squarely on BC Ferries. The latest concerns were laid out in an open letter written by Denman Island resident Sharon Small, addressed to Mid Island–Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne. At its core, the message is clear: BC Ferries should be returned to the Crown, because the current model is failing ferry-dependent communities and draining taxpayers.
The letter pushes back against a claim made by the MLA that, because BC Ferries was turned into a corporation after the Fast Ferries scandal of the late 1990s, the government can no longer audit or intervene in its oversight failures. That argument is being challenged head-on. It is being argued that BC Ferries is not truly independent at all, but instead survives on ever-growing public subsidies while operating at a loss year after year.
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The situation is described as financially grim. The corporation continues to run in the red, relies on aging and unreliable vessels that require millions in avoidable repairs, and is already projecting ferry fare increases of up to 30 percent by 2028. At the same time, a looming one-billion-dollar loan tied to Chinese-built vessels is expected to land squarely on the shoulders of taxpayers.
This concern isn’t rooted in speculation alone. The letter revisits the painful history of the 1990s, when roughly one billion dollars in taxpayer money was wasted under a system later condemned in the 2001 Wright Review. That review famously described BC Ferries’ oversight as “baroque,” meaning so complex and fragmented that no one could be held accountable. According to the letter, that same ineffective structure still exists today.
Specific examples are pointed out. The Baynes Sound cable ferry experiment, now considered a failure with the highest breakdown rate in the fleet, continues to disrupt service. Electric hybrid vessels introduced for island routes have also proven unreliable, forcing rerouting or replacement. Given this track record, serious doubts are being raised about whether the newly ordered Chinese vessels will fare any better.
Premier David Eby’s decision not to intervene in the vessel purchase is seen as confirmation that the debt will eventually be passed on to the public. For ferry-reliant communities like Denman and Hornby islands, this has become an untenable situation.
The letter ultimately calls for action: reintroducing Bill 7 to restore government oversight under the Coastal Ferry Act, creating an independent and accountable board as recommended years ago, and seriously considering returning BC Ferries to Crown ownership. With taxpayer groups, Conservatives, and Greens already pushing for change, the question now being asked is how long the status quo can realistically be defended.
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