September 18, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Workers win commitment to build ferries in B.C.
VANCOUVER – B.C.’s next generation of ferries will be built here, Premier David Eby said today. The commitment comes after workers joined forces through the Build Them Here coalition to push for made-in-Canada ferries.
“Workers and the public asked for ships built here, and today we got a commitment,” said Eric McNeely, president of the BC Ferry & Marine Workers’ Union. “Now put us at the table. We know these vessels, we know the routes and we’ll make sure this promise delivers for the people who rely on them.”
The coalition welcomes the premier’s commitment and his willingness to back workers and industry. It’s calling for a shipbuilding consortium that brings B.C. yards and suppliers together and includes Canadian material and content requirements. The consortium should be overseen by the province, BC Ferries, unions and industry representatives.
An economic report found that building ferries in Canada could add $1.5 billion to GDP, including about $1.3 billion in B.C., and support more than 10,000 person-years of work.
“Today’s announcement shows what working people can do together,” said Brynn Bourke, executive director of the BC Building Trades. “Give our yards and businesses a predictable schedule and a plan and we can deliver ferries made by British Columbians, for British Columbians.”
The coalition formed after BC Ferries awarded contracts for four major vessels to a shipyard in China. Members want a long-term plan that gives Canadian workers and businesses a fair chance at future ferry contracts.
“Use Canadian steel. Hire Canadian workers. Build the ships here,” said Scott Lunny, United Steelworkers District 3 director. “That’s what we expect from a ferry system funded by the people of B.C.”
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Media contact: Rachel Garrick 604-561-3703 [email protected]
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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