By David Wiwchar

MP backs ship recycling in Alberni

Jul 7, 2025 | 9:10 AM

Courtenay – Alberni MP Gord Johns says he’s working with multiple companies who want to bring safe, environmentally-friendly ship recycling operations to Port Alberni.

He met with BC Ferries CEO Nicholas Jiminez who said they have more than a dozen vessels nearing end-of-life and nowhere on the west coast to recycle them.

“The 14 vessels that are at end of life will require recycling at a cost of between $10 and $12 million each,” he said. “In the case of the Queen of Burnaby they’re spending just half of that cost just to tow it through the Panama Canal and up to Halifax where it can be recycled because we don’t have facilities here.”

Johns said BC Ferries is currently paying $6 million for the former Queen of Burnaby to be towed through the Panama Canal and up to Halifax to be taken apart there.

“Obviously that’s ridiculous and it’s economically a hole that needs to be plugged as it would create good local jobs,” he said. “But it needs to be done right, so I’m pushing for national guidelines and regulations so that the community and First Nations would be supportive of such economic activity and working hard for solutions to build capacity in British Columbia and not lose out on this Nation-building opportunity for our riding of Courtenay – Alberni.”

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Johns said he’s in talks with the Federal Transportation Minister about helping fund a dry dock facility to repair, refit and recycle navy, coast guard and bc ferries vessels in Port Alberni.

Photo: David Stanley