Despite the fact that the Queen of Prince Rupert will be out of commission as early as 2010, Victoria is taking its time deciding what to do.
BC Ferries last year submitted its recommendations to the Ministry of Transportation regarding service for the north after extensive consultations, but has yet to hear back.
"The last we heard, they'll be doing some deliberating in March," said Ferries spokesperson Ann Carpenter, "but it's very difficult for us to speculate on timelines."
Ferries gave the government a few options
to consider, including two, three or four new ships to serve the two northern and one mid-coast routes. New vessels are likely to cost about $75-million each, and must be ordered soon because they take more than three years to design and build.
Ferries has said in the past the decision is going to be made this year. Ms. Carpenter explained the government has to make decisions on how much to spend, various service options, and what would be a good fit. "They also have some hard decisions to make about funding," she added.