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British Columbia faces $1.5B GDP loss from China ferry deal
A new economic report commissioned by the Build Them Here coalition indicates that British Columbia will lose approximately $1.5 billion in GDP by outsourcing the construction of four new BC Ferries vessels to a Chinese state-owned shipyard. The report, authored by economists including Jim Stanford of the Centre for Future Work, suggests the decision also results in the loss of roughly 10,000 person-years of employment and $413 million in potential government revenue.
BC Ferries defended the decision, stating that they actively sought Canadian participation and adjusted qualification criteria to encourage local competition. According to a spokesperson, two Canadian shipyards pre-qualified for the contract, but neither submitted a final proposal. The corporation noted it could not delay vessel replacement to develop domestic capacity, nor could it expect customers to bear the costs of developing local shipbuilding through increased fares.
The report calls on Premier David Eby to commit to local production for future ferry rounds and recommends establishing a provincial shipbuilding task force to build necessary capacity, facilities, and workforce.
Entities
BC Ferries · British Columbia · Build Them Here · Centre for Future Work · Jim Stanford
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Building the four vessels in China cedes approximately 10,000 person-years of employment. ladysmithchronicle.com · trailtimes.ca
- [● 2 SOURCES] BC Ferries selected a Chinese state-owned shipyard to build four hybrid-electric ferries in May 2025. ladysmithchronicle.com · trailtimes.ca
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Local construction would have generated $413 million in revenue for federal and provincial governments. cheknews.ca
- [● 2 SOURCES] Two Canadian shipyards pre-qualified for the contract but did not submit final proposals. ladysmithchronicle.com · trailtimes.ca