Nanaimo adds urgency to passenger ferry plan – Times Colonist

December 10, 2015

Nanaimo is issuing a formal request for proposals to find a company to run daily foot passenger ferry service to and from Vancouver by late 2016.

It isn’t good news to Island Ferry Service Ltd., which is striving to line up a final $21 million in financing by the end of this month for its $70-million endeavour to run a catamaran service. Island Ferry and Nanaimo officials have been working together for about five years.

“We are certainly not pleased,” said David Marshall, director of operations and one of 23 investors in Island Ferry Service.

Bernie Dumas, president and CEO of the Port Authority, said the port board decided “enough is enough” at its Friday meeting. “We haven’t got anywhere,” he said.