BC Ferries CEO faces troubled waters at AGM
September 17, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BC Ferries CEO faces troubled waters at AGM
Unions to BC Ferries CEO and board: “Stop ignoring the economic benefits of building ferries in BC and commit to building future vessels here.”
VANCOUVER – BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez faced a large crowd of workers in B.C.’s shipbuilding and marine industries, ferry operators and supporters of the Build Them Here Shipbuilding Coalition at the BC Ferry Authority & British Columbia Ferry Services Inc.’s Annual General Meeting. Supporters asked the corporation to commit to building future vessels in B.C.
“We asked BC Ferries a simple question: Will you commit to building the next vessels in Canada? The CEO refused to answer. Ferry workers and coastal communities deserve a clear commitment and a long-term plan to build our ferries here,” said Eric McNeely, provincial president of the BC Ferry & Marine Workers’ Union.
Jimenez took no responsibility for the role BC Ferries played in deciding to offshore the work and made no commitments to building future ferries in British Columbia. He dodged direct questions on accountability for spending billions of dollars offshore during an international trade war.
“The economic case for building ferries in B.C. is clear: $1.5 billion in added GDP, 10,000 person-years of work and over $413 million in government revenues. Will BC Ferries commit to building future ships here at home?” asked Brynn Bourke, Executive Director of the BC Building Trades.
Earlier this week, the Build Them Here coalition issued a letter to both boards and the CEO, demanding answers to ten questions (attached). The coalition received no response.
Build Them Here is a coalition of more than 15 unions, representing over 7,000 workers in the province’s marine industry including shipbuilders and operators, as well as workers in related industries.
BC Building Trades
BC Ferry and Marine Workers Union (BCFMWU)
BC General Employees Union (BCGEU)
BC Insulators Local 118
Boilermakers Lodge 359
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) – Northwest District 250
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 213
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 230
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 115
International Longshore Workers Union Canada
LiUNA 1611
Marine Workers & Boilermakers Industrial Union (MWBIU) Local 1
Marine and Shipbuilders CMAW Local 506
MoveUP
Sheet Metal Workers Local 280
Shipyard General Workers’ Federation
UA Local 170
UA Local 324
United Steelworkers District 3
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Media Contact:
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604-908-0239
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