Rebecca Bligh: “It’s incredibly exciting. Where it can go is even more exciting.”
Rebecca Bligh: “It’s incredibly exciting. Where it can go is even more exciting.”
A Vancouver city councillor and two park board commissioners announced plans Friday to potentially have an electric passenger ferry operating by 2027 that would connect downtown Vancouver with Bowen Island and Gibsons.
Rebecca Bligh, along with Brennan Bastyovanszky and Laura Christensen, told reporters from Harbour Green Dock near the Vancouver Convention Centre that they will all introduce motions at council and park board meetings to push for the ferry.
“Just look at other cities — Sydney, Singapore, Auckland, San Francisco — they all have this type of ferry service,” Bligh said in an interview prior to the news conference. “And so I think this is a starting point. It’s incredibly exciting. Where it can go is even more exciting.”
A news release from the group pointed to Greenline Marine Inc., a Victoria company, to provide the service. The vessels and all infrastructure updates to the docks would be paid by Greenline and its partners, the release said.
‘Take cars off the road’
Callum Campbell, chief executive officer of Greenline Ferries, said in the release that his company was “excited to explore this important transportation service” with the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Park Board.
“This transformative all-electric ferry service for Bowen Island and Gibsons will take cars off the road and provide a clean, efficient and convenient service into downtown Vancouver,” Campbell said.
“With this landing dock, we’ve got all the important building blocks in place. By working in partnership with the city and park board, we will be well-positioned to deliver this new service for commuters, starting in 2027.”
The company believes about 1,000 passengers a day would use the service. Greenline said making the ferry available would avoid 500 car trips and erase the equivalent emissions of eight million kilometres of driving every year.
The service would reach Bowen Island from Vancouver in 35 minutes and Gibsons in 70 minutes.
“For most users, this will save $20 on the end-to-end journey compared to existing transportation options,” said the release, which didn’t include fare prices but were expected to be revealed at the news conference.
‘Potential win, win, win opportunity’
Bligh will introduce a motion Feb. 26 that directs city staff to take steps to establish the new ferry, with plans for it to depart from Harbour Green Dock, which was the site of now-defunct water taxi to Bowen Island.
At the same time, Bastyovanszky and Christensen will put forward a motion to explore upgrading Harbour Green Dock, and to seek partners to fund needed amenities and upgrades.
If the motions pass within the first half of 2025, the trio of politicians — like Campbell — believe service could be in operation as soon as 2027.
The commissioners said revenues generated from limited commuter ferry services could be used to subsidize ongoing recreational usage of Harbour Green Dock. With regular ferry operations on-site, they said, it creates an opportunity to increase such usage as the floating walkway is not suitable for the current demand for leisure craft.
“We see this as a potential win-win-win opportunity,” the commissioners said in the release.
The announcement comes amid growing congestion and a lack of regional transportation options, particularly for those travelling to and from Bowen Island and the Sunshine Coast.
In recent years — particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic and amid the rise of hybrid work — Bowen Island and the Sunshine Coast have welcomed many new residents and visitors.
Further, the pandemic saw local transportation services on Bowen and the Sunshine Coast collapse, leaving a dearth of options for residents to access work and amenities on the mainland.
“Existing vehicle-based ferry options are often overcapacity and straining under years of underinvestment,” said the release, adding that a pollution-free passenger ferry would drastically improve transportation options for local residents and visitors.
First Nations
The group believes the ferry service would boost economic growth, reduce wait times in Horseshoe Bay, Snug Cove, and Langdale, making it easier to explore B.C.’s southern coast.
“Bowen Island’s need for access to the mainland is more than just transportation — ferry service is our connection to work, health care, school, and everything in between,” Bowen Island Mayor Andrew Leonard said. “Exploring an electric ferry isn’t just about sustainability; it’s about securing a reliable, modern and efficient future for our island’s residents.”
The ferry service is also supported by Gibsons Mayor Silas White and Patrick Weiler, MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country. Bligh said the Squamish Nation supports the venture “in principle” and has asked to consider future expansions to connect their lands.
Discussions with the Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh Nations are ongoing
The Hullo Ferry, which provides a similar service connecting downtown Vancouver and Nanaimo, served 400,000 passengers in its first year, diverting as many as 1,000 people daily from city roads.
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