A Conservative motion has prompted the Commons transport committee to investigate taxpayer funding of Chinese shipyard jobs for a state-run company, according to Blacklock’s. This follows controversy surrounding Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland, who claimed China received no federal funding to build ferries.

“We expect ministers to appear,” MP Dan Albas, sponsor of the motion, told the committee. 

On June 26, the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) approved $1.1 billion to replace BC Ferries’ fleet, including four new vessels from China’s state-run Weihai Shipyards, drawing criticism from Opposition MPs, including Albas.

Go Ad Free

All elbows, no backbone: BC Ferries still plans to send jobs and billions of dollars to China despite political outrage.

READ MORE: https://t.co/MirAOYVHTm pic.twitter.com/WFCT8ZJwoc

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) June 14, 2025

“Imagine my shock that we learned during a time of unjustified steel and aluminum tariffs, where people are receiving pink slips because of these American tariffs, that their own government is actually using their tax dollars to subsidize jobs and economic activity outside the country,” Albas said.

CIB loaned BC Ferries $1 billion at 1.8% interest on March 28. The Crown bank, with a $35 billion budget for Canadian infrastructure, announced support two months later but did not name the shipbuilder.

On June 10, BC Ferries awarded the contract to China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards, citing no Canadian bids after a five-year procurement process.

B.C. Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth distanced his government from the decision, citing Chinese tariffs.

MPs unanimously approved the motion for a committee study, with testimony sought from Transport Minister Freeland, Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, and the CEOs of the Bank and BC Ferries.

“My focus is largely on getting answers so people can know whether or not their government – remember. The government that said ‘elbows up,’ ‘Canada strong,’ ‘we can build it together’ – is in fact actually financing the outsourcing of Canadian jobs,” Albas said yesterday.

He called the new Minister of Infrastructure “hapless” for not knowing of  a $1 billion CIB loan agreement to outsource Canadian jobs to a Chinese shipyard.

Cabinet denied any knowledge of BC Ferries outsourcing shipyard jobs. Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson stated June 11, “The British Columbia government is responsible.”

Premier David Eby denied intervening in the procurement process despite his objection, citing costs and the company operating independently of the province.

Robertson later sought a CIB briefing from CEO Ehren Cory, who lauded the bank's BC Ferries partnership.

Bank spokesperson Hillary Marshall told the Globe and Mail it financed the project but isn't involved in the contract decisions of BC Ferries.

Commons committee OK's MP @DanAlbas call to investigate fed aid for Chinese shipyard: "Remember the gov't that said 'elbows up,' 'Canada strong,' 'we can build it together'?"  https://t.co/ondZZf7Qu7 #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/gwMBF7Expo

— Blacklock's Reporter (@mindingottawa) July 8, 2025

CIB, a Crown corporation reporting to Minister Robertson, was founded in 2017 based on an economic growth advisory council's recommendation, which included then-CEO of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Michael Sabia.

Sabia, after initially criticized for a slow start, briefly led the bank before Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed him as Clerk of the Privy Council to support the Liberal government's infrastructure push.

Transport Minister Freeland stated June 12 that no federal funding would go to the Chinese shipyard, stating Transport Canada support is for operations only, not capital expenditure.

She later criticized the B.C. government for purchasing four new ships from a Chinese state-owned shipyard, despite CIB financing the deal.