Construction starts on Victoria Inner Harbour's new $300M ferry terminal

Construction begins on Victoria Inner Harbour's new $300 million ferry terminal

Conceptual artistic rendering of the new Belleville Ferry Terminal in Victoria Inner Harbour. Not the actual design. (Government of BC)

Early works construction is now underway for the project of building a brand new, expanded, and modern ferry terminal in downtown Victoria for international cross-border ferry routes to the United States.

The provincial government announced today site preparation has begun for the redevelopment of the Belleville Terminal, which is located in Victoria Inner Harbour just northwest of the BC Legislature. The current phase of work involves building temporary terminal building and wharf facilities, which is expected to reach completion in Fall 2024.

You might also like:

During the early works construction, there will be closed pedestrian access along the causeway behind the Steamship building, and a large temporary structure will be built behind the building this spring.

The existing Belleville Ferry Terminal in Victoria Inner Harbour. (Google Maps)

The temporary structure and wharf will enable the continued operation of ferry services during the upcoming major construction work for the new replacement permanent facilities. The provincial government has shortlisted three companies — EllisDon Corporation, KL Belleville Terminal Partners, and Pomerleau Inc. — to submit detailed bids in the Request For Proposal (RFP) stage of the procurement process for the major construction work.

The new facility is expected to reach completion and open in 2028 at a cost of about $304 million, with almost $42 million covered by the federal government and the remainder funded by the provincial government, which announced it would be proceeding with the project in Summer 2023.

Conceptual artistic rendering of the new Belleville Ferry Terminal in Victoria Inner Harbour. Not the actual design. (Government of BC)

The redevelopment is necessary as the existing aging facility does not comply with new secure modern pre-clearance standards — based on the requirements set in the Canada-US Land, Rail, Marine, and Air Transport Pre-Clearance Agreement. The new facility will also streamline travel by allowing passengers to complete the customs and immigration process in Victoria before sailing to the US.

Without the redevelopment, Victoria would eventually lose its international ferry routes operated by private companies Black Ball Ferry Line (Coho Ferry) and FRS Clipper, which link Vancouver Island to Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula and downtown Seattle, respectively.

The operation of the existing terminal provides Greater Victoria with the annual economic spinoffs of $174 million in traveller spending, $268 million in economic output, and $155 million in provincial GDP.

“This terminal represents a critical trade junction for our region and the country as a whole,” said Rob Fleming, BC Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, in a statement.

“Moving forward with this project to transform it into an improved, modern entry point will not only generate economic growth on both sides of the border, it will make travel more convenient and enjoyable for the people travelling through this hub every year.”

Conceptual artistic rendering of the new Belleville Ferry Terminal in Victoria Inner Harbour. Not the actual design. (Government of BC)

Conceptual artistic rendering of the new Belleville Ferry Terminal in Victoria Inner Harbour. Not the actual design. (Government of BC)

Conceptual artistic rendering of the new Belleville Ferry Terminal in Victoria Inner Harbour. Not the actual design. (Government of BC)

You might also like: