BC Ferries is making major changes to its executive team and related portfolio structure amid growing public criticism of the reliability of British Columbia’s coastal ferry system.
The ferry company announced today that it will reorganize existing departments and management positions and create six new departments.
This includes three new business units focused on engineering, marine operations and customer experience.
The Engineering Division, led by Vice President Stephen Jones, will focus on recruiting and retaining critical engineering workers and maintaining aging fleets and terminal facilities, while the Shipping Division, led by Vice President Darren Johnston, will focus on recruiting and retaining critical engineering workers and maintaining aging fleets and terminal facilities, while the Shipping Division, led by Vice President Darren Johnston, will focus on recruiting and retaining critical engineering workers and maintaining aging fleets and terminal facilities. He will oversee operations and flight training, and the customer experience division will be led by Vice President Melanie Lucia, who will oversee passenger interaction with the terminal, food and beverage, retail operations and customer care.
A new Strategic Planning Department has now been created, led by Vice President Brian Anderson, and is responsible for strategic planning, capacity planning, regulatory affairs, environmental strategy, and legal affairs.
Chief Human Resources Officer Keim Brine will lead the new Human Resources and Safety department, which will be responsible for the safety, health and security teams.
In addition, the ferry company created a new, separate public relations and marketing department, with Interim Vice President Lindsay Matthews temporarily leading the team.
BC Ferries’ corporate office located in the Atrium Building, 800 Yates Street, Downtown Victoria. (Joel property)
“We are now in a better position to address the short- and long-term challenges we face,” Nicolas Jimenez, president and CEO of BC Ferries, said in a statement today. I believe that.”
“From staffing our operations to ensuring vessel reliability, maintaining our terminals, communicating with our customers, and enhancing our technology platforms, we continue to provide the safest and best experience for our customers on and off shore. I will continue to focus on that.”
The size of the ferry company’s executive team remains unchanged, with key roles that were left vacant a year ago now being filled. The change also follows the departure of the company’s longtime chief operating officer and vice president of marketing and customer experience. The various changes will take effect on October 16th.
Some minor changes were also made to the finance and shipbuilding departments.
This follows a particularly difficult year for BC Ferries, with the ferry company responding to what appears to be an increasing pattern of failures to sail due to a lack of the minimum required workforce for navigation. It is receiving backlash from the public. There have also been significant service interruptions due to issues with larger ships, including repair work on the Coastal Renaissance ship, which has been ongoing since mid-August.
Earlier this week, the provincial government announced it is currently developing new punitive measures against BC Ferries for flight cancellations due to crew shortages.
BC Ferries’ corporate office located in the Atrium Building, 800 Yates Street, Downtown Victoria. (Joel property)
