Full-Time
Engine Room Assistant
BC Ferries
1,001-5,000 employees
Delivers coastal passenger and vehicle ferries
No salary listed
Nanaimo, BC, Canada
In Person
 General Maintenance & Repair (1) |
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- Marine Emergency duties training, including STCW Basic Safety (MED A1 and MED B2) and Proficiency in Survival Craft (MED B1).
- Ability to prioritize and complete tasks safely and in a timely manner while monitoring and maintaining mechanical, electrical, and propulsion systems.
- Monitor machinery by maintaining oil and water levels; checking temperatures and pressures of main and auxiliary engines, gear boxes, compressors, and winches; ensuring boiler operation; handling chemicals for testing; monitoring pumps; relieving the watch; and conducting rounds.
- Communicate in person or by radio with ships’ officers and ticketing staff.
- Perform general housekeeping by cleaning shipboard machinery, bilges, and spaces; preparing and painting machinery and engine-room spaces; removing garbage; and polishing brass fixtures.
- Assist engineers with maintenance work, including oil and filter changes, engine adjustments, steering-gear checks, and leg alignments; start main and auxiliary engines; take lubricant and fuel-oil samples; and assist with major overhauls and refits.
- Perform the daily work routine, including taking fuel soundings, pumping dirty-oil tanks, assisting with receiving fuel onboard, checking void spaces, and cleaning oil strainers.
- Perform safety checks, ensure emergency systems are in order, participate in emergency and safety drills, attend safety meetings, receive stores, and repair equipment defects in other departments.
- A mechanical background, including formal training and/or a Transport Canada Engine Room Rating certificate.
- A 4th Class Motor Certificate.
BC Ferries provides scheduled ferry service for passengers and vehicles along British Columbia’s coast with nearly 50 vessels. It operates under a service contract with the Province of British Columbia, routing ships to connect coastal communities and support residents, commuters, and tourists, with revenue from fares. It differs from competitors by owning one of the world’s largest fleets of vehicle ferries and operating as a publicly owned, provincially contracted carrier with decades of service. Its goal is to maintain reliable marine transportation that keeps coastal communities connected and supports local economies and tourism.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Debt Financing
Total Funding
$421.7M
Headquarters
Victoria, Canada
Founded
1960
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- July 2026 AI and HR systems should cut labor waste and scheduling friction.
- Horseshoe Bay and Langdale upgrades began July 2026, improving two of Canada's busiest terminals.
- Record fiscal 2026 demand and $350 million February 2026 bonds fund near-term execution.
What critics are saying
- BC Ferries deferred over $3 billion through fiscal 2038, starving terminals and IT.
- Commissioner approval governs AMIP and HRTP; delays block modernization and workforce savings in 2026.
- China-built Summit vessels expose BC Ferries to geopolitical, shipping, and delivery slippage risks.
What makes BC Ferries unique
- BC Ferries moves 25 routes and 47 terminals across 1,600 kilometres of coastline.
- It is electrifying fleet renewal with Summit class hybrids from 2029 to 2031.
- Fiscal 2026 record volumes, 23.3 million passengers and 10.0 million vehicles, validate network strength.
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Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 11%1 year growth
↑ 11%2 year growth
↑ 11%It's time BCFMWU got its fair share. Last week, the federal government announced a $32-million investment in ferry infrastructure in Prince Edward Island. The contract went to Dexter Construction, a Canadian company based in Nova Scotia. "Investments like this support economic growth in Eastern Canada," Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said in announcing the project. BCFMWU agree. But why is B.C. treated differently than Eastern Canada? Ottawa directly funds three ferry services in Atlantic Canada and Eastern Quebec through its Ferry Services Contribution Program. Transport Canada owns four ferries and six shore facilities used by those services and funds operations, capital repairs and dredging around ferry terminals. In 2024-25, the three ferry services cost the federal government about $85 million, including capital investments. About $65 million went directly to the ferry operators. That same year, B.C., meanwhile, received only $36.9 million from Transport Canada to support its coastal ferry services. B.C. first pushed for federal funding in the 1970s because ferries were part of the national highway system and federal support between provinces was unequal. An agreement for an annual federal grant allowed B.C. to choose which ferry operator would receive it. Today, BC Ferries operates 25 routes from 47 terminals along 1,600 kilometres of coastline. Last year, it carried 22.7 million passengers and 9.7 million vehicles, much higher volumes than ferry operators in Atlantic Canada. But when BC Ferries needed help financing new ships and terminal upgrades, it didn't get federal investment, it got a loan. The Canada Infrastructure Bank is lending BC Ferries up to $1 billion for new ferries, which will be built in a government-owned shipyard in China. When the federal government announced plans to replace two Eastern Canada ferries in 2019, it required the use of a Canadian shipyard. Ottawa said building the vessels in Canada would support good jobs, strengthen the Canadian marine industry and generate economic growth. Ottawa's new Buy Canadian policy uses public purchasing power to support Canadian businesses, supply chains and jobs. If spending $32 million on ferry infrastructure in P.E.I. creates jobs and strengthen communities, isn't the same true when investing in ferries that will serve British Columbians for the next 40 or 50 years?
Corvus to power four BC Ferries newbuild ro-paxes. Maritime energy storage system (ESS) developer Corvus Energy has been awarded a milestone contract to supply its battery energy storage systems for four new hybrid-electric, double-ended passenger and car ferries for Canadian ferry operator, British Columbia Ferry Services (BC Ferries). The four new vessels are part of BC Ferries' new Summit class and are to be named Summit Arbutus, Summit Cedar, Summit Maple, and Summit Spruce. Corvus will deliver 40MWh of installed battery capacity - 10 MWh per vessel - a scale that places these ships among the highest capacity battery-powered ferries. In addition, Corvus will supply battery interface bases and pack control systems sized for an additional 60MWh (for a total of 70MWh) for each vessel, enabling the vessels to sail nearly emission free for up to two hours as charging infrastructure becomes available. This future-ready design is intended to eliminate the need for major structural modifications and positions BC Ferries at the forefront of large vessel electrification. The Corvus Dolphin NxtGen Power system - featuring advanced liquid-cooled power cells, improved energy density, and enhanced safety architecture - is said to represent a significant technological leap in marine battery performance. The ESS will be integrated into the power and propulsion package for the new vessels. BC Ferries selected Corvus based on its experience delivering largescale marine battery installations, its operational presence in British Columbia, and its track record powering the company's Island class fleet. This ensures long-term lifecycle support for the new vessels, from commissioning through decades of service. Fredrik Witte, CEO Corvus Energy, said: "We are delighted to be selected again by BC Ferries for this flagship project. BC Ferries continues to drive one of the most ambitious and technically advanced ferry electrification programmes in the world. Our Dolphin NxtGen technology brings the next leap in performance and safety, enabling these vessels to operate efficiently today while paving the way for a fully electric future. We are extra proud that these batteries have been developed at our product development hub in Vancouver, BC." BC Ferries provides service on 25 routes to 47 terminals and transports approximately 9.7m vehicles and 22.7m passengers annually. BC Ferries' new major vessels (NMV) programme, the company's largest capital investment to date, aims to renew the BC Ferries fleet, increase service capacity, and enable more environmentally sustainable operations. Each of the four new double-ended ferries will be capable of carrying up to 360 vehicles and 2,100 passengers and crew. Designed in collaboration with LMG Marin, the vessels will feature diesel-battery hybrid propulsion, including compatibility with biofuel or renewable diesel. Their architecture supports a seamless future transition to near zero-emission, all-electric ferry operation when shore charging infrastructure is in place. BC Ferries' Head of Fleet Renewal, Ed Hooper, added: "BC Ferries is looking towards the future of what passenger ferry transport can be for the people, businesses and communities that rely on our ferries every day. Our challenge today is an ageing fleet, most notably impacting our major routes. When the new Summit class vessels begin to arrive in 2029, we will be adding more capacity and building better reliability into the way we do business. These vessels will have a long lifespan and working with dependable, long-term partners like Corvus Energy who have a local BC presence and proven ability to support the full system lifecycle, is key to our fleet renewal journey." The first vessel is scheduled for delivery by 2029 from China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry Group Weihai Shipyard, with all four entering service by 2031. Image: BC Ferries design rendering (credit: BC Ferries)
Mott MacDonald appointed to support upgrades at BC Ferries' Horseshoe Bay and Langdale terminals. July 28, 2026 News. Modernizing vital ferry connections for British Columbia's coastal communities. Mott MacDonald Group has been appointed as owner's engineer to support BC Ferries on the Horseshoe Bay/Langdale Infrastructure Program, involving a phased upgrade of the Langdale Terminal on the Sunshine Coast and the Horseshoe Bay Terminal in West Vancouver - one of the busiest ferry terminals on Canada's West Coast. As part of an integrated team alongside Stantec and Westmar Advisors, Mott MacDonald Group will help advance this major long-term infrastructure program that will modernize a vital link between British Columbia's Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, and Vancouver Island. The program is expected to span approximately five years. BC Ferries' Horseshoe Bay Terminal is a key transportation hub connecting coastal communities across British Columbia. In operation for more than 65 years and serving nearly 7 million travelers each year, Horseshoe Bay is a critical part of the region's transportation network. Langdale Terminal has been in operation for over 70 years and plays a vital role in connecting the Sunshine Coast to the Lower Mainland. Planned upgrades include marine works and upland civil improvements, which will improve on-time performance, enhance customer experience, and support continued safe and reliable operations. As owner's engineer, Mott MacDonald Group will provide engineering and delivery planning for the project, including developing concept and final designs, preparing management plans, and providing cost, schedule and risk inputs to support funding decisions. Delivering this program in a constrained coastal environment beside an active community and marina demands careful planning, close collaboration and smart sequencing. Maintaining ferry operations throughout the phased redevelopment will require integrated thinking across disciplines and a clear focus on constructability, resilience and long-term performance. "This project is an important opportunity to help BC Ferries deliver a more resilient, efficient and passenger-focused terminal for the communities and travelers who rely on Horseshoe Bay and Langdale every day," said Nick Stewart, project manager at Mott MacDonald. "We are proud to support this program that will strengthen connectivity and improve the customer experience for the long term."
Surikat to support BC Ferries cargo operations modernisation. Surikat has launched a Discovery and Blueprint project with BC Ferries to optimise the operator's drop trailer business at the terminals of Duke Point Terminal, Swartz Bay Terminal and Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal. The project aims to reduce manual processes, improve real-time data visibility, support data-driven decision-making, and enhance dispatching, scheduling and customer collaboration. It will also prepare the ground for the future implementation of Surikat's cloud-based Lynx platform. According to Surikat, the project represents the first step in a longer-term partnership focused on the digitalisation of ferry terminal and logistics operations.
Stantec to lead engineering in Horseshoe Bay terminal redevelopment for BC Ferries. The West Vancouver facility handles nearly seven million travellers annually and has been in operation for more than 65 years By Alex Smith | 29 May 2026 BC Ferries has appointed Stantec as prime consultant for the phased redevelopment of its Horseshoe Bay terminal in West Vancouver. The programme, expected to last approximately nine years, will modernise aging infrastructure at a terminal that has been in operation for over 65 years and serves close to seven million travellers annually. Planned works include marine structures, upland civil improvements and upgraded multimodal transport connections, with operations to remain active throughout construction. The redevelopment aims to improve on-time performance, enhance passenger comfort and support the long-term reliability of services connecting coastal and island communities across British Columbia. Stantec will work alongside Mott MacDonald and Westmar Advisors under a construction manager at risk model, in which the construction manager joins the project team during the design phase and commits to a guaranteed maximum price before works begin. Its scope covers permitting and multidisciplinary engineering coordination across structural, environmental, electrical, mechanical, geotechnical and civil marine disciplines, as well as constructability reviews. Work will be delivered through a series of call-up assignments under a master services agreement. According to Stantec, the terminal's location presents particular logistical challenges. The facility is situated next to a constrained coastal environment adjacent to an active community and marina, and ferry operations will need to continue uninterrupted throughout the redevelopment. "This is one of the significant infrastructure upgrades in the Lower Mainland," said Kip Skabar, senior principal and Canada ports sector leader at Stantec. "We're proud to be a long-term partner to BC Ferries and to manage a complex program to deliver a world-class ferry facility."