B.C. Ferries is laying out its case for what it would take to build new ships in Canada: more government help in ensuring training for a skilled workforce and building up a domestic supply chain.

“We can’t just expect that it’s going to happen without addressing where there are gaps,” B.C. Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez said, a message he is delivering Tuesday to a meeting in Hamilton, Ont. called by federal Transportation Minister Chrystia Freeland.

B.C. Ferries touched off a national firestorm in June with its decision to award the contract for four new large ferries, critical replacements for aging ships, to China Merchant Industry’s Weihai Shipyards.

Under the procurement program, B.C. Ferries will replace four of its oldest ferries, ranging from 53 to 65 years old, with new diesel-bat

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