Earning the trust of our customers and communities we serve is a key priority, and we are building a customer-focused culture across all levels of the company.
Engaging with customers and communities
Together, we are making investments in our local communities, technology, and internal processes to ensure a consistent, seamless, and personalized customer experience. We are also focused on improving our outreach and engagement with coastal and First Nations communities. In fiscal 2024, we continued our commitment to stakeholders, the community and employee engagement by annually holding one cycle of board meetings in a community served by BC Ferries.
Fiscal 2024 - By the numbers
12
community drop-in sessions completed18
First Nations supported2
new operational agreements and 1 new protocol agreement with First Nations2
new operational agreements with First Nations29
Ferry Advisory Committee meetings held34
stakeholder meetings held9,397
participants in the Charting the Course survey18,246
visitors to online community pagesCharting the Course
BC Ferries is embarking on a long-term vision to revitalize coastal ferry services. Charting the Course is an initiative designed to meet the dynamic needs of coastal communities, and ensure the continuous flow of people, goods, and services now and into the future. Recognizing the challenges and opportunities posed by long-term trends in population growth, affordability, technological advances, the rise of electric vehicles and climate change impacts, we are committed to creating a ferry system that is sustainable, resilient and equipped to serve future generations.
Your voice matters, and hearing from you has been a critical step in helping us plan for a sustainable ferry system. Further engagement continues with interest holder and First Nations communities, with the final vision expected in early 2025.
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Ferry Advisory Committees (FAC)
Our Ferry Advisory Committees (FAC) are one way that we hear from the communities we serve about what matters to them. We're out in the community with over 60 engagements on the books. We heard from folks in-person and online, through informal drop-in and facilitated sessions, meetings with interested and impacted groups, and government. We continue working with our FACs to prioritize community feedback, and ensure our smaller coastal routes are well considered at a system-wide level.Improving travel for four-legged customers
In fiscal 2024 we further expanded outdoor pet areas on our vessels. Today, outdoor pet areas are now available on all major routes that service the mainland and Vancouver Island and all vessels that service the Sunshine Coast.
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Key Social Metrics
BC Ferries’ social media presence grew significantly in followers through content that showcased our employees, the projects that highlight our goal to be environmentally conscious and the initiatives spearheaded by crews at terminals and on board vessels to ensure an enjoyable journey for our customers.
11%
follower growth across all channels19%
follower growth on LinkedIn8%
follower growth on both X and Instagram875,254
total video views across all channels80%
of online sentiment was positive/neutralCommunity investments
Our Community Investment Program is an important strategy for building meaningful, long-term connections by identifying social investments that make a difference in the communities in which we serve. These investments contribute to important causes, engage employees, customers and coastal communities, and build reputational capital. Strategic initiatives, aligned with our policy and guidelines, create social and corporate value, demonstrate care for the environment and communities and align with values important to our company and our employees.
BC Ferries Sport Experience is a great example of one such community investment. BC Ferries and viaSport British Columbia recognize that travel is often a barrier to amateur sport teams and organizations as they seek competitive opportunities for their athletes. In fiscal 2024, the BC Ferries Sport Experience Program invested $125,000 in ferry vouchers to support not-for-profit sport organizations, directly impacting 6,767 athletes and coaches.
The BC Ferries Disability Sport Experience Program is another community partnership between BC Ferries and viaSport which provides travel support specifically to Disability Sport Organizations. Vouchers may be used by athletes of any age, coaches, managers, club volunteers and staff and athlete companions who are affiliated with a Disability Sport Organization and are travelling for tournaments, participation camps, events or regular league play.
Engaging with First Nations
Our Indigenous Relations team focuses on relationship-building with First Nations communities, facilitating project-based engagement, building organizational capacity, and establishing strategies, plans and policies that support our work with First Nations.
BC Ferries' Indigenous Relations team is actively engaging with local Nations, negotiating Relationship Protocols with groups including Snuneymuxw First Nation and W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip First Nation). These agreements, based on recognizing their inherent and treaty rights, aim to foster collaboration on shared interests. They also align with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, guiding the path towards reconciliation.
The IR team is building relationships with other Nations and where desired, working on similar protocols.
The IR team is building relationships with other Nations and where desired, working on similar protocols.
The Coast Salish War Canoe Races are dugout canoe races held from May to September every summer, with each Nation hosting a race. To help alleviate travel costs and support athletes young and old, BC Ferries was honoured to respond to requests for travel support, distributing 430 passenger vouchers for 18 First Nations teams to travel to participate in races on the other side of the Salish Sea.
In 2021, news of the discovery of 215 unmarked graves at the site of the Kamloops Residential School generated widespread shock and soul-searching within non-Indigenous Canadian society. On Penelakut Island, the Sulxwe’en (Elders Group) of the Penelakut Tribe decided to release preliminary findings of 160 unmarked graves associated with the Kuper Island Industrial School, which was operated by the Catholic Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate from 1889 to 1975.
In 2023, the Penelakut Tribe welcomed participants for the Third Annual March for the Children on August 7th in the village of Sunuwnets (Chemainus). BC Ferries was honoured to offer free travel to Thetis and Penelakut Islands all day to support participants travel.
In 2023, the Penelakut Tribe welcomed participants for the Third Annual March for the Children on August 7th in the village of Sunuwnets (Chemainus). BC Ferries was honoured to offer free travel to Thetis and Penelakut Islands all day to support participants travel.
Late on Aug. 28 and into the early hours of Aug. 29, 2023, BC Ferries workers disconnected, lifted, and transferred a totem pole from Horseshoe Bay terminal to be taken back to Fort Rupert on northern Vancouver Island. Carved from Western red cedar, the totem, featuring a bear and a chief, had stood for over 50 years but showed signs of rot and wear, prompting safety concerns. Terminal maintenance hired an engineering firm for a temporary solution. Family members of carver Tony Sr. welcomed the totem's arrival on the Queen of Cowichan, ensuring its gentle placement and reminiscing about Tony's life.
On December 1, 2023 BC Ferries renamed its vessel serving the route to the MV Pune’luxutth, honoring First Nations heritage, at a name unveiling ceremony at Victoria’s Point Hope Maritime.
"Pune’luxutth" is the Hul’qumi’num’ word for Penelakut and was the name chosen by Penelakut Tribe. The previous name of the vessel was widely associated with the former residential school of the same name, cultural assimilation and painful history.
The renaming of the vessel reflects BC Ferries’ commitment to reconciliation, listening and making changes in support of First Nations communities.
"Pune’luxutth" is the Hul’qumi’num’ word for Penelakut and was the name chosen by Penelakut Tribe. The previous name of the vessel was widely associated with the former residential school of the same name, cultural assimilation and painful history.
The renaming of the vessel reflects BC Ferries’ commitment to reconciliation, listening and making changes in support of First Nations communities.