Freeland tells MPs she is ‘dismayed’ by BC Ferries’ decision buy Chinese ships

By Canadian Press on August 1, 2025.

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OTTAWA — Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland told MPs Friday she was “dismayed” by BC Ferries’ decision to purchase four new electric-diesel ships from a Chinese shipbuilder using a $1 billion federal loan — but did not call for the loan’s cancellation.

The House of Commons transport committee launched a study of the Canada Infrastructure Bank loan today.

BC Ferries announced in June that it had hired China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards to build the new ships after a five-year procurement process that did not include a Canadian bid.

The Canada Infrastructure Bank contributed a $1 billion loan to the deal and said in June that the new ferries “wouldn’t likely be purchased” without this financing.

In her opening remarks before the committee Friday, Freeland said she was troubled by the planned purchase and she believes in supporting Canadian jobs.

She said she has sent 71 letters directing all organizations under the Transport Canada umbrella to prioritize Canadian content in their major procurements where feasible — particularly Canadian steel, aluminum, and lumber.

When Canadian options aren’t available, she said, the preferred option is to buy from countries with trade deals that include reciprocal procurement agreements.

Freeland said Transport Canada will soon be convening a meeting with provinces and territories, ferry owners and operators, shipyards, labour representatives and the steel industry. She said she’s also assembling a second meeting with major rail operators.

Freeland did not directly respond to questions from MPs about whether the government would push for the cancellation of the loan. She said she agrees that this is a moment of crisis for the steel and aluminum sectors and they need the government’s support.

The Canada Infrastructure Bank is accountable to Parliament through Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, who also testified at the meeting.

In his opening remarks, Robertson told committee members that the shipbuilder was chosen by BC Ferries, not the federal government or the Canada Infrastructure Bank. He said BC Ferries conducted its own global procurement process that didn’t yield bids from Canadian shipyards.

Robertson said he’s disappointed by BC Ferries’ decision and wants to see more Canadian-built vessels and more opportunities for domestic industry to participate in major infrastructure projects.

He also called the purchase a “critical” investment and said that “these ferries need to get built.” Robertson assured MPs that there will be Canadian jobs associated with the maintenance of the ferries and at terminals.

Robertson said the government is looking closely at how it can better align its industrial policy, procurement tools and investment incentives to “support and scale up Canadian capacity in important sectors like shipbuilding.”

The CEOs of BC Ferries and the Canada Infrastructure Bank are set to testify at the committee meeting later today.

Jeff Groot, executive director of communications for BC Ferries, said the company signed the loan with the bank before the contract with the Chinese shipyard was finalized.

Dan Albas, Conservative transport critic and committee co-chair, requested the study and has asked questions about why $1 billion in public funds was earmarked to finance overseas shipbuilding in the middle of a trade war with the U.S.

Freeland sent her B.C. counterpart, Mike Farnworth, a letter in June saying she was disappointed that BC Ferries would choose a Chinese state-owned shipyard “in the current geopolitical context,” and asking him to confirm that no federal funding would be diverted to purchase the ferries.

Before Friday’s meeting began, Bloc MP Xavier Barsalou-Duval said he’d like to see an apology from the government and from the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

He said it’s “unacceptable” and “problematic” that the government plans to invest in foreign infrastructure when Canada’s steel industry is facing tariffs from the United States.

The new vessels are expected to join the BC Ferries fleet between 2029 and 2031.