sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Ferries is holding its annual general meeting this morning in Victoria at a time when the organization faces major engine repairs on its Coastal Renaissance and ongoing staffing challenges.
The public meeting includes sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Ferry Services Inc. and the sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Ferry Authority. It will start at 10 a.m. in the Vancouver Island ballroom in the Hotel Grand Pacific, 463 Belleville St. The sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Ferry Authority is the sole shareholder, while sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Ferry Services Inc. operates the fleet.
Chairs of the boards of the two organizations will speak, as will Nicolas Jimenez, president of sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Ferry Services. He will look at the past year and talk about what’s coming up in the future.
The chief financial officer for sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Ferries will also speak about the company’s financial performance.
The meeting can be watched virtually. Go to bcferries.com/agm for information on how to join the meeting.
There will be opportunities for both virtual and in-person participation.
This summer has seen thousands of passengers lose bookings on Coastal-class vessels due to mechanical issues that pulled the ships out of service. Frustrated passengers expressed their unhappiness at long waits at terminals.
At the same time, sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Ferries is making plans to expand its fleet. A proposal to order more Island-class ferries, smaller vessels that serve the Gulf Islands, goes to the board this week. Next year, a major proposal to replace the larger C-class ferries will go before the board.