Vancouver Park Board opens door for new electric passenger ferry to Bowen Island, Sunshine Coast

Getting from Vancouver to Gibsons is quite a trek. What the original inhabitants of the area accomplished in a simple canoe now involves driving — or taking the bus — across the Lions Gate Bridge to Horseshoe Bay and hopping on a large, diesel-powered vehicle ferry that drops you off miles from the town centre. 

Ditto Bowen Island, though thankfully the ferry terminal at Snug Cove is within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and hiking trails.

In either case, by the time you finally get to your destination, the day is half over.

One company is hoping to change that, and on Monday, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation brought them one step closer to achieving their goal. Needing little convincing, commissioners voted unanimously to support city staff to negotiate a deal with CIRQL Ferries Inc. that would allow the private entity to operate an electric passenger ferry service off of a brand new dock in Coal Harbour.

If the city responds with the same enthusiasm as their Park Board colleagues, the first ship could set sail as early as 2028.

The site chosen for the project is Harbour Green Dock, which sits across from Harbour Green Park at the foot of Bute St. The existing floating dock was constructed in 2003 and has been operated and maintained by the Park Board, however it sustained significant damage over the years that required costly repairs. 

In early 2025, CIRQL submitted a proposal to do away with the aging dock and construct — with private funds — a modern replacement, complete with a terminal for their services and a viewing platform to be enjoyed by the public. The company vowed to engage with residents, stakeholders, and local First Nations to ensure benefit for all.

During Monday's meeting, Park Board commissioners asked a number of questions to staff following the presentation of the report, largely focusing on the impact a passenger ferry service could have on residents. 

When asked whether it would impact the quietness of the neighbourhood, staff pointed out that numerous notoriously noisy float planes take off and land at the docks less than a block away. 

Both CEO Callum Campbell and COO Darren Pereira took turns speaking at Monday evening's Park Board meeting, each making the case for transforming the dormant dock into a home base for their company.

"The idea behind what we're doing is to introduce a zero-emissions vessel into Vancouver," Pereira said. "Being zero-emissions, we reduce greenhouse gases, we'll reduce the carbon footprint of people who are coming in from Bowen Island and Gibsons, we're giving them a different option where they're not stuck in traffic jams."

The former BC Ferries captain pointed out that it would "improve connectivity not just for Vancouver, but for the region."

His sentiments were shared by Campbell, who argued that by deciding in their favour, the Park Board could "help create a more connected city while offering real benefits for local residents."

Also in attendance was Councillor Rebecca Bligh, who offered her support for the project, and the concept of ferries as public transportation.

"The vision is grounded in a simple reality that our region is growing and our transportation system is not keeping up," Bligh said. "We are seeing increasing congestion, especially at key bottlenecks like the Lions Gate Bridge, Second Narrows, and Stanley Park Causeway … so this is why this proposal becomes so important from a city-building perspective."

She added that an electric passenger ferry offers a "clean, efficient, and reliable alternative" to driving, for both tourists and commuters.

"This is a potential win-win-win," Bligh continued. "It's important that it comes at no cost to the city and the Park Board, with vessels and infrastructure funded by the proponent and his partners. Vancouver is a coastal city, and yet our transportation system has not yet fully embraced that identity."

When asked by Commissioner Brennan Bastyovanszky about the potential for an expanded passenger ferry network across Metro Vancouver, Bligh urged all municipalities and private entities — including CIRQL — to consider working together to make that vision a reality.

"In speaking to previous mayors of the city," she continued, "it was really interesting to me that while a lot of work has been done over the many decades, one of the things we've never managed to do is properly activate our marine transportation system like other major harbour cities globally."

Bligh lamented the fact that Vancouver has not kept up with other aquatically-blessed cities such as Sydney, Australia, but pointed out that the tides appear to be changing.