Union Report Details Economic Fallout of Overseas Ship Building

A contract to construct four massive hybrid-electric BC Ferries vessels in China will mean a loss of approximately $1.5 billion in gross domestic product for Canada, according to a report released Thursday by the labour coalition Build Them Here.

The analysis, authored by Jim Stanford of the Centre for Future Work, calculates that building the ships abroad surrenders roughly 10,000 person-years of employment. Additionally, the study estimates that local construction would have generated $413 million in government tax revenues to help offset public costs.

Crown Corporation Defends Overseas Contract Decision

BC Ferries awarded the deal to a Chinese state-owned shipyard in May 2025, maintaining that no domestic shipbuilders submitted a final proposal. The Crown corporation stated that while two Canadian shipyards pre-qualified after criteria were adjusted to encourage participation, neither completed a bid.

Representatives for the ferry operator explained that the company could not delay replacing aging vessels until domestic capacity expanded, nor could it expect ferry passengers to bear the full financial burden of developing Canada’s shipbuilding industry through higher fares alone. The corporation also noted the ongoing local economic benefits generated through domestic maintenance contracts.

Labour Group Calls for Policy Reforms and Transparency

The report argues that provincial leaders had adequate notice over the past decade to prepare local manufacturing for the replacements. It points out that between 2003 and 2018, only two of 11 new vessels were constructed in British Columbia. Seaspan, the sole B.C. shipbuilder with facilities large enough for the job, withdrew from competing due to strict price and scheduling constraints.

Using economic modeling, Stanford’s team estimated the contract’s total value at $1.6 billion and criticized BC Ferries for withholding exact cost details. The coalition, representing 19 labour organizations, recommended seven policy changes, including provincial equity stakes in shipbuilding projects and new legal mandates requiring BC Ferries to maximize local economic returns.

Municipalities Push Back Against B.C. Government Policies

Municipal representatives from across British Columbia are preparing to confront the provincial government during the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) convention, scheduled for Sept. 14 to Sept. 18 in Vancouver. Local leaders plan to present three special resolutions targeting what they describe as an expanding “climate of secrecy” and the loss of critical community funding streams.

A primary point of contention is the provincial ministry’s widespread application of non-disclosure agreements. UBCM president Cori Ramsay stated that municipal employees are increasingly required to sign NDAs prior to discussing routine matters with provincial counterparts, sometimes before the subject of the meeting is even disclosed.

While acknowledging that non-disclosure agreements are appropriate at specific stages to safeguard cabinet confidentiality, Ramsay noted that current practices prevent transparent discussion on subjects of public interest. The executive’s resolution requests that the province restrict NDA requirements during local consultations to exceptional circumstances only.

Funding Reversals Cause Financial Strain

Local governments are also challenging the cancellation of $775 million from the Community Housing Fund, an intake suspended without advance warning during February’s provincial budget announcement. Ramsay indicated that 89 communities experienced lost investment on projects already underway, highlighting that developments in Parksville and Squamish had each spent approximately $1 million prior to the decision.

Wildfire preparedness represents another key area of friction. Concerns emerged early in the year when communities including West Kelowna reported diminishing FireSmart resources. The province subsequently limited the remaining $25 million by excluding fuel management and recovery initiatives, roughly six months before declaring a provincial state of emergency for wildfires. Municipalities are advocating for a predictable, long-term funding framework to enable multi-year wildfire mitigation efforts.

Upcoming Political Engagement

The upcoming convention takes place one month prior to local government elections set for Oct. 17. Despite the timing, Ramsay expects robust attendance from mayors and councillors, whether they intend to retire or seek re-election.

In addition to debating resolutions, delegates are scheduled to hear from provincial figures including Premier David Eby and B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay. Agenda topics also include discussion on the local impacts of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) and modern treaty implementation.

Conditional Discharge Handed Down in Nanaimo Court

A former Vancouver Island police officer who had a sexual encounter with a vulnerable woman following his shift will avoid a criminal record if he successfully completes an 18-month probation sentence.

Mark Tyler Hilland, 47, received a conditional discharge in B.C. provincial court in Nanaimo from Judge Reginald Harris on Friday, Sept. 11. Hilland had previously entered a guilty plea to breach of trust by a public officer in relation to a July 2, 2024 incident.

Details of the Offence and Court Findings

According to an agreed statement of facts, Hilland was completing paperwork in his service vehicle when he was approached by an Indigenous woman with whom he was acquainted. Her identity is protected by a publication ban. Unknown to Hilland at the time, she had prior involvement in the sex trade.

After Hilland left for an assignment, the woman was propositioned by another man for sex—an interaction described by Crown counsel Andrew McLean as negative and triggering traumatic past memories. Though she reported that encounter to police, Hilland was unaware of her report.

Later that evening, Hilland noticed she appeared distressed and asked how she was feeling. During their conversation, she exhibited flirtatious behavior and gave him her address, phone number, and door code, inviting him over once his shift ended. Following his shift on July 3, 2024, Hilland called her, visited her residence, and the two had consensual sex.

When they met again later, Hilland called the encounter a mistake and stated he would no longer contact her. Although she initially accepted this, she yelled an obscenity as he drove away and reported his actions to the Nanaimo RCMP.

PTSD Diagnosis and Impact

The court heard that Hilland was diagnosed in 2019 with post-traumatic stress disorder, alongside depression, mood alterations, and sleep difficulties. Before this event, he had served in high-crime or demanding posts, including Fort St. James and Gabriola Island, and responded to most critical incidents while stationed in Nanaimo.

Judge Harris determined that Hilland was suffering from PTSD during the incident, concluding that without the disorder, he would not have engaged in the impulsive and self-destructive behavior. While Crown counsel sought a suspended sentence that would entail a criminal record, defence counsel Brad Kielmann argued for a conditional discharge.

In granting the discharge, Harris noted Hilland’s lack of a prior criminal record, good character, and the severe impact a record would have on his employment. Harris ruled that a discharge was not contrary to the public interest despite the harm caused to the community and the woman’s vulnerability.

Probation Terms and Departure from Force

The victim did not submit a victim impact statement but told police she feared Hilland might return, experienced sleep disruptions, and worried about her parents’ reactions, noting it took a year to feel like herself again.

Under the conditions of his 18-month probation order, Hilland is forbidden from contacting the woman and must write a letter of apology to be delivered through his probation officer. His employment with the RCMP officially ended on Aug. 14 when he was discharged.