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<\/p>\nBritish Columbia Premier David Eby tore into the federal government on Monday after Ottawa slashed ferry fares on the East Coast by 50 per cent.<\/p>\n
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Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the rate cuts<\/a> for the Eastern Canada Ferry Services which serve P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Quebec and Marine Atlantic, the constitutionally-mandated ferry service that connects Newfoundland to Nova Scotia, earlier Monday.<\/p>\n The fare cuts were a federal Liberal election promise.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1:05 Eby said major new subsidies for East Coast ferries but not for those in B.C. are a symptom of \u201cstructural unfairness.\u201d<\/p>\n Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cNot only are we paying billions of additional equalization to Quebec and Manitoba and a billion dollars to Ontario, but also we have to watch the federal government show up on the East Coast and subsidize ferry users that already get a $300 subsidy per each $1 that a B.C. ferry user gets,\u201d Eby said.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tGet breaking National news<\/p>\n For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ask is very straightforward. We need the same per-capita funding, the same per-person funding that any province gets. Through any other announcement that\u2019s made across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n Eby acknowledged that Carney\u2019s announcement was an election promise, but said Ottawa has not increased its subsidy for B.C. ferry users in nearly two decades.<\/p>\n Marine Atlantic is a federal Crown corporation, while the federal government provides financial support to the operators of the three Eastern Canada Ferry Services routes, Northumberland Ferries Ltd., Bay Ferries Ltd., and Coop\u00e9rative de transports maritime et a\u00e9rien. BC Ferries is wholly owned by the B.C. provincial government.<\/p>\n The three Eastern Canada Ferry Services carry an estimated 531,000 passengers per year, while BC Ferries moves more than 22 million annually.<\/p>\n \n\t\tTrending Now\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\tCity fines Montreal church for hosting MAGA-affiliated singer Sean Feucht\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\tB.C. man attacked by cougar has minor injuries after he says he punched it\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n BC Ferries has been grappling with surging demand and aging vessels. The company warned last year it could need to raise fares by as much as 30 per cent<\/a> amid rising costs.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3:07 Earlier this year, the company announced plans to procure four new, larger vessels from a Chinese shipyard, a move that drew criticism from multiple quarters \u2014 including both the federal Liberal Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland and opposition Conservative MPs.<\/p>\n Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n![\"Click](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1753735152_541_CARNEY_VMS.jpg\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCarney wants to \u2018lower costs for Canadians\u2019 by cutting toll costs for Eastern ferries\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n![\"For](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1753128969_722_national.jpg\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOttawa to study BC Ferries controversial decision\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n