Citing a Spring, 2027 target date to launch electric-powered passenger ferry service to downtown Vancouver from Gibsons and Bowen Island, Greenline Marine Inc. principals were flanked by reps of three levels of government Feb. 7 at Coal Harbour, the proposed Lower Mainland docking point. Gibsons mayor Silas White, Bowen Island mayor Andrew Leonard were also in attendance along with members of Vancouver City Council and Parks Board, MP Patrick Weiler and West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Jeremy Valeriote for an update on this “major sustainable transportation project."
Founder of Greenline, Callum Campbell told Coast Reporter on Feb. 11 that he was “feeling good” about the chances of getting the greenlight to use that location’s Harbour Green Dock for the service. The other docking spots proposed are Gibsons Harbour Landing and Seymour Bay on Bowen.
His focus is now on late February meetings of the Vancouver Park Board and Vancouver City Council to move decisions about Harbour Green forward. “Park Board will be advancing a motion around improvements to the dock and City [of Vancouver] council will be advancing a motion around facilitating electric ferries,” Campbell stated.
“We need a spot in Vancouver, and not just any spot, but a great spot. What I mean by that is we need someplace that is relatively close to transit, that is close to downtown, that is close to the places that people actually want to be,” he explained.
A backgrounder circulated with the Feb. 7 announcement indicated a decision on the Vancouver docking point is required by May. Noting that the service could put its metro Vancouver dock point anywhere from the Sea Bus terminal to Harbour Green, he commented that “there are no immediate pathways forward on any other spot."
Greenline's efforts on the Coast continue
With decisions pending from Vancouver, Greenline is moving forward with discussions on the Sunshine Coast. On Feb. 24, Campbell said his group plans to present at a Gibsons Landing Harbour Authority meeting. “We’ve had lots of conversations with the Town and some with the harbour authority and this is about setting up the building blocks for the service,” he stated.
As an example of progress that has been made, he pointed to the town and Greenline’s efforts to secure “charge barge” infrastructure needed to power the service’s proposed 150 passenger vessels configured for the waters of Howe Sound. The backgrounder indicates those vessels are to be built in Singapore between June of this year and October 2026.
The firm is looking at different configurations of charge barge infrastructure at the three proposed docking sites. “Gibsons is really leading the way on all three sites at this point on the charging issue," he stated.
Campbell emphasized his attendance at the harbour authority gathering was about going back to community to talk about “what is going to work for the Gibsons Landing Harbour Authority."
Gibsons Mayor cites transit needs
White, speaking with Coast Reporter on Feb. 10 said that along with the focus on infrastructure for the ferry service, he plans to up his efforts on getting improved transit in place to move people to the Gibsons departure point.
“Increased frequency of the #90 bus, having that running every 30 minutes would be brilliant in helping to support this, he said. He credited the Sunshine Coast Regional District board on their work to make that happen and said he is hopeful the province will “step up and support their side” of that increase to local bus service. He said he would also be advocating for a new transit route within Gibsons that would benefit those looking to connect to the ferry and those looking to travel within the town.
Asked if he thought the spring 2027 start date for the service was realistic, White said, “Yes, I do because I really find that Greenline is just an extremely credible operation. They have done a lot of research and background work to ensure they have the investment and funding for this operation."
He followed with a cautionary comment. “Will things get delayed? I would not be surprised if there are delays for anything in the future, especially with the way the world economy is going.”
