Carney gives Atlantic ferries $1.3 billion as B.C. faces 30 per cent ferry fare hike
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
November 6, 2026
Carney gives Atlantic ferries $1.3 billion as B.C. faces 30 per cent ferry fare hike
NANAIMO: Ferry workers in B.C. are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to explain why his 2026 budget commits $1.3 billion to Eastern Canada’s ferries while ignoring British Columbia’s ferry funding crisis.
“The prime minister says he wants to build a stronger, more connected Canada. Apparently, that doesn’t include the Pacific coast,” said Eric McNeely, president of the BC Ferry & Marine Workers’ Union (BCFMWU).
The budget names ferries “vital connections” that “help Canadians reach families, jobs and essential services.” It allocates $1.3 billion over eight years to renew Eastern Canada’s ferry services, including new terminals and replacement vessel capacity in Atlantic Canada.
BC Ferries is the largest passenger ferry operator in North America, carrying 23.3 million passengers and 10 million vehicles last year, but remains tied to an inadequate federal funding agreement dating back to 1977.
Ottawa covers roughly 43 per cent of operating costs for Atlantic ferry services, while federal funding accounts for just three per cent of BC Ferries’ operating costs.
Last year, Carney cut Atlantic ferry fares in half to “bring down costs and build one, strong Canadian economy.” Passengers in B.C., meanwhile, face the prospect of ferry fare increases of up to 30 per cent in 2028.
“British Columbians pay federal taxes too. Why should our ferry passengers get less support than Canadians on the Atlantic coast?” said McNeely.
BC Ferries transports approximately $8 billion in goods every year. Rising ferry fares and service disruptions due to aging fleets and deteriorating terminals have a real economic cost.
“One B.C. dairy farmer recently reported spending $150,000 a year on ferry fares, threatening the viability of his farm,” said McNeely. “When ferry costs go up, the cost of doing business goes up and British Columbians pay the price.”
“Our members see the consequences of system underfunding every day. We work hard to keep communities connected, but we can’t fix a system that governments won’t adequately fund.”
The union is calling on B.C.’s new government to demand fair federal funding for our marine highway, which connects coastal communities to the rest of the country.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Rachel Garrick | Communications Officer | BC Ferry & Marine Workers’ Union
| 604-561-3703 | rachelgarrick@bcfmwu.com
The BC Ferry & Marine Workers’ Union represents more than 5000 ferry and marine workers across British Columbia’s coastal ferry system. We keep the coast moving.
