June 11 - BC Ferries' ships to be built in China

Good morning !

BC Ferries has decided who's going to produce its latest round of new ships, and no, they’re not going to be made here.

Staying international, a Saanich family recently had a hand in putting a sex offender away in the United States.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

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Today: 🌤️ 22 / 12  

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 16 / 11

Friday: 🌤️ 15 / 11

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NEWS

BC Ferries’ new vessels will be made in China

The 65-year-old company says the project to build four new ships is the “largest capital project in BC Ferries’ history.” Chinese state-owned CMI Weihai specializes in roll-on, roll-off passenger ferries and has built similar vessels for companies in France and Italy.

The four new vessels are slated to begin replacing the aging Queen vessels by 2029, with all four expected to be in service by 2031. BC Ferries initially requested five new vessels but were only approved for four.

BC Ferries did not reveal the cost of the partnership, saying to announce the amount would “weaken” the company’s position in future bids and potentially drive up costs in “upcoming vessel procurements.” In 2007, BC Ferries arranged to have its three Coastal vessels built in Germany for $500M.

While the ships won’t be built in Canada, the ferry company says the new ferryboats—which will have a hybrid design—will trigger “over $600M of infrastructure projects,” according to BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez. He says 80% of that investment will remain in BC, creating jobs.  

“No Canadian shipyards submitted a bid,” BC Ferries spokesperson Ritinder Matthews told Capital Daily. “Most told us they didn’t have the capacity or timelines to take on a project of this size.”

BC Ferries says CMI Weihai was selected for having a high level of safety precautions, in addition to being a cost-effective choice. The ferry company will have a team on-site at CMI Weihai’s shipyard to monitor the process.

Seaspan, which runs BC’s largest shipyards, and the BC Ferry and Marine Workers Union have both criticized the lack of financial support from the provincial and federal governments, arguing that local shipyards can’t compete with the low cost of building in countries like China.

Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth raised concerns about the decision to build the vessels in China soon after the announcement, given ongoing trade tensions between that country and Canada.

Jimenez said he isn’t worried about geopolitics affecting the contract with CMI Weihai.

“We have a very, very strong contract that will give us all the protections and more that we need inside this build process,” Jimenez said. 

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

The traffic signal at Blanshard and Hillside will be shut down today from 9am to 3pm. 

Richmond closed from Newton to Haultain for paving today. 7:30am-3pm. [City of Victoria]

Hwy 4 closed 9am-3pm today to remove debris from 2023's fire and landslide. [BC Gov]

Billet applications are now open to host Victoria Royals players next season.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

Support local journalism by supporting Capital Daily. Become a Capital Daily Insider member today and help bring local stories to life. 

NEWS

Saanich family helps put child pornographer in US prison

Five years ago, the family of a 12-year-old Saanich girl went to their district police when they found sexually explicit messages on the girl’s phone and computer from an unknown source. That set forth a child-luring investigation in the United States.

Saanich police worked the case with US Homeland Security, who eventually took over, and in July 2022, Mark David Wallin of Los Angeles was arrested. US investigators determined that between 2019 and August 2021, he had been preying on preteen girls and boys both domestically and internationally and had been grooming them to send him explicit photos and videos. 

Wallin “threatened to publish or otherwise expose the prior pictures and videos sent by the victim” if they didn’t comply with his demands, according to the US Attorney’s Office.

Dozens of victims, between the ages of 9 and 16, were identified, police said. 

Last September, Wallin, 44, pleaded guilty to the production of child pornography and the enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and last month, he was sentenced to 40 years in a US federal prison. He has a restitution hearing scheduled for Aug. 13.

“The online sexual exploitation of children has no borders,” said John Pasciucco, the HSI Los Angeles acting special agent in charge. 

“Without the excellent collaboration with partners like the Saanich Police Department, we cannot accomplish our mission of safeguarding kids and bringing those who prey on them to justice.”

Saanich police Chief Const. Dean Duthie said he was “incredibly proud” of his officers. 

“To play such a critical role in the apprehension and conviction of a prolific child predator in another country is a testament to their commitment, tenacity, and high-quality investigative work,” he said.

“It is also very important to recognize the professional, compassionate, and trauma-informed approach that they maintained throughout this highly sensitive and emotional investigation.”  

Det. Const. John Gadsby, Saanich’s lead investigator on the case, had this message for parents: “Be aware of what social media platforms [your children] are on and who they are interacting with,” he said in a release. “Create an open dialogue with them where they feel supported and can come to you if they see or experience anything that feels unsafe or uncomfortable. Talk about it regularly, stay informed about apps, and create good social media awareness.”

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⭐️ Capital Picks

🎉 FernFest 2025 is Fri. & Sat. [Info]

🐐 Beacon Hill Children’s Farm 40th anniversary celebration. [Tomorrow] 

🍽️ Experience fine dining surrounded by captivating views at The Butchart Gardens Dining Room Restaurant. Open for dinner service Wednesday through Sunday evenings.*

🎨 Architectures of Protection exhibit at AGGV. [Until Oct. 26]

🦅 Eagle attacks heron nests in Beacon Hill Park: Hear the herons scream as they shoo the predator away. [Facebook video]

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🗞️ In Other News

House cleaner gets 90 days for theft, including robbing a kid’s piggy bank
The 39-year-old woman collapsed during her sentencing hearing at the provincial courts on Burdett. Leanne Rose Kardynal, had already pleaded guilty to theft under $5K, possession of stolen property, and breaching a probation order and undertaking for stealing money from one home and a watch and cash from a child’s piggy bank from another client’s home. The woman’s lawyer said his client was humiliated, embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry. He said she was too emotional to speak to the court. [Times Colonist]

UVic is ranked No. 17 in Canada and No. 439 in the world
Which is impressive, considering that in establishing its rankings, the Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR) examined 21,462 universities across the planet. U of T was the top-ranked Canadian university and 23rd worldwide, while Montreal’s McGill University was second in the country and 27th worldwide. UBC came in third in Canada and 48th globally in the listings, which were based on four elements: education, employment, faculty, and research. [CHEK]

Summer McIntosh sets another world record in Saanich pool
The Canadian swimmer set her second world record in three days at the Canadian swimming trials at Saanich Commonwealth Place on Mon. In doing so, the 18-year-old Torontonian became the first woman to swim the 200-metre individual medley in under 2:06. On Sat., McIntosh set a world record in the 400-metre freestyle. The trials, which continue into Thu., will determine Canada’s swimming team for the 2025 world championships to be held in Singapore from July 26 to Aug. 3. [Sportsnet]

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🗓️ Things to do

🌼 Westshore Garden Tour: A fundraiser for Soroptimist International of Victoria Westshore and its impactful programs for women & families in our community. Emery Hall. June 21. 10am. [Info]

🥕 Oak Bay Night Market is back: Oak Bay Village transforms into a European-style street market with fresh and local produce, food, artisanal goods, live music, and magic shows. Once a month throughout the summer. Oak Bay Village. Today. 4-8pm. [Info]

☀️ Summer at Ship Point: Most Tue., Wed., and Thu., from June 11 to Sept. 19, Ship Point will transform into a vibrant recreational, arts, and cultural community hub. Inner Harbour. 11:30am-8pm. [Info]

🌈 Pride in the Park: Featuring a variety of entertainment, games, and activities, info booths, inflatables, and food trucks, this family-friendly event is a way for all ages to celebrate Pride Month. Beckwith Park. Today. 5:30-8pm. [Info]

🎶 Oak Bay High Senior Jazz Vocals: The student singers will perform with the Tom Vickery Trio at Hermann’s tonight. 6:30-9:30pm. [Info] 

🎵 John Stretch: The NYC-based bassist will return to his hometown to perform at Hermann’s tomorrow. 7pm. [Info]

🎸 Art D’ecco: The artist is back in Victoria with his Demon Band, performing at Upstairs Cabaret. Fri. 7pm. [Info]

🎛️ Shambhala Pre-Party: Get in the festival groove with headliners No thanks, and Neon Steve. Capital Ballroom. Fri. 9pm-2am. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Tuesday’s headlines: CRD’s Top 10 dangerous intersections; Sooke byelection primer; Saanich Tim Hortons slaps go viral. [June 10]

Rebar madness at UVic construction site. [Times Colonist]

Port Alberni wildfire being held after reaching 23.51 ha on Mon. Wildfire near Campbell River being held after reaching 4 ha Tues. [BC Wildfire]

Tofino issss beautiful: 6-foot pet snake goes missing on Chesterman Beach. [CHEK] 

Brain Art Contest entry deadline is June 16. [UVic]

An octopus up close at Willow Point. [Facebook video]

Nanaimo woman charged with her husband’s murder four years after his death. [CTV]

That’s it!

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