{"id":15450,"date":"2025-02-07T22:34:37","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T22:34:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/07\/there-is-a-need-passenger-ferry-proposed-between-vancouver-gibsons-and-bowen-island-bc\/"},"modified":"2025-02-07T22:34:37","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T22:34:37","slug":"there-is-a-need-passenger-ferry-proposed-between-vancouver-gibsons-and-bowen-island-bc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/07\/there-is-a-need-passenger-ferry-proposed-between-vancouver-gibsons-and-bowen-island-bc\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018There is a need\u2019: Passenger ferry proposed between Vancouver, Gibsons and Bowen Island – BC"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Travellers could find themselves whisked from downtown to Vancouver to Bowen Island and the Sunshine Coast within two years, under a new proposal for an electric ferry line.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The proposed Greenline ferry<\/a> service, announced on Friday, would carry foot passengers from the Harbour Green dock in Coal Harbour to Bowen in 40 minutes and to the Sunshine Coast in 70 minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see there is a need. It is necessary to bring new modes of transportation<\/a>\u2026 for efficiency, resiliency,\u201d said Greenline founder and CEO Callum Campbell.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Vancouver wants to compete in the world, we need to connect to our coastal communities much better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tProposed routes from Vancouver to Gibsons and Bowen Island.\t\t\t\t<\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tGreenline Ferries\t\t\t\t<\/cite>
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Campbell said the company has already sourced the estimated $60 million in financing required to purchase two electric passenger ferries and the three charging stations the service would require.<\/p>\n

\n

Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Now the service needs the green light from the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Park Board, which operates the Harbour Green Dock.<\/p>\n

Vancouver city councillor Rebecca Bligh was bullish on the project, which she said would carry about 1,000 passengers a day, eliminating 500 car trips and slashing the carbon emissions equivalent to about eight-million kilometres of driving per year.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Click
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The numbers reflect the growing integration of the South Coast region, Bligh said.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Get\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n

Get daily National news<\/h3>\n

Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cIn recent years Bowen Island and the Sunshine Coast have welcomed many new residents driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of hybrid work,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany continue to make regular visits to Vancouver, to work, to visit friends and family or just to visit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Hosting the Vancouver terminus at the Harbour Green Dock will generate an estimated $1 million in annual revenue for the park board, a benefit in line with the city\u2019s current drive to expand its non-tax revenue sources.<\/p>\n

Park commissioner Brennan Bastyovanszky said the dock in its current form is already insufficient to serve leisure needs and would need to be upgraded to host the ferry.<\/p>\n

Working out the scope of necessary upgrades is part of the work the upcoming motion to the park board would ask of staff.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe original visitor of this waterfront always included small commuter ferries and today that vision remains more relevant than ever,\u201d Bastyovanszky added.<\/p>\n

\u201c(The) park board is taking an active role in exploring how this public asset can support sustainable low-carbon transportation while maintaining its recreational value.\u201d<\/p>\n