Premier David Eby described the backlash over a federal loan for purchasing ferries from a Chinese company as "bizarre." He made these comments while in Ottawa for meetings, where he discussed the BC Ferries deal with newly appointed Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon.

Eby responded to concerns raised about the loan, which was used to buy four ships from state-owned China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards. He pointed out that the federal government has invested significantly in ferry services in Eastern Canada, including from the same shipyard.

The premier's remarks followed a report indicating that Transport Canada had prior knowledge of BC Ferries' plans before the announcement in June. Former Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland expressed her dismay over the deal after it became public. The Canada Infrastructure Bank, a Crown corporation, provided BC Ferries with a $1 billion loan to finance the purchase before Freeland's criticisms surfaced.

Eby expressed disappointment over the lack of attention to what he termed the "incredibly unfortunate treatment" of ferry users in British Columbia compared to those in Eastern Canada. He stated, "The fact that the federal government paid for an entire ferry built at the same (Chinese) shipyard for Eastern Canada, and that it is somehow a problem that BC Ferries users get access to a low-interest loan, is bizarre."

He highlighted the disparity in federal subsidies, noting that BC ferry users receive, on average, $1 in federal support, while their Eastern counterparts receive $300. Eby emphasized the need to address this unfairness.

The Ala’suinu ferry, built by Weihai Shipyards, began operations last year between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. An email obtained by a news outlet revealed that BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez had previously warned about potential national-security concerns regarding the purchase from a Chinese state-owned company. In a follow-up email, Jimenez expressed his concern over Freeland's reaction, stating he was "troubled" despite having given a confidential heads-up six weeks before the public announcement.

Jimenez also noted that he could not recall any negative feedback when the same shipyard constructed a vessel for Marine Atlantic. BC Ferries has stated it will not release the related documents publicly and has no further comments, referring inquiries to the news report.

During a later news conference, Eby reiterated the need for increased shipbuilding capacity in Canada and stressed the importance of fairness in federal funding. He stated, "British Columbians need to be treated fairly. If Eastern ferry-goers get their ferries paid for, so should we. If Eastern ferry-goers get $300 in subsidy, you know what? 50 bucks per ferry user in B.C. would go a long way for a lot of families and businesses."