Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone has issued the following statement on the news that the president and CEO of BC Ferries Mike Corrigan is stepping down as of March 31, 2017:

“BC Ferries has announced today that Mike Corrigan is stepping down as the president and CEO of BC Ferries when his term is up on March 31, 2017. Mike has been with BC Ferries for the last 13 years and has led the organization as the CEO since 2012.

“Since 2013, Mike and I have worked together toward a common goal – to put BC Ferries on a sustainable path. After a number of difficult decisions and a significant amount of hard work, we reached this goal – with the BC Ferries commissioner capping ferry fare increases at 1.9% a year, between 2016 and 2020.

“As president and CEO of BC Ferries, Mike has been willing to embrace innovation and new technology in order to reduce operating costs and improve the company’s environmental footprint. He’s overseen the launch of BC Ferries’ first cable ferry, the Baynes Sound Connector, a vessel that consumes half of the fuel of its predecessor – equivalent to taking 100 cars off the road every year.

“He has been at the helm of the organization during the procurement and construction of three new Salish Class vessels, which will be fueled by the more efficient, affordable and ‘greener’ LNG fuel. And under his watch, BC Ferries’ two largest vessels, which use 15% of all the fuel consumed by the ferry fleet, will be converted to LNG during their mid-life upgrade – saving BC Ferries money and again, reducing the organization’s environmental footprint.

“Mike has led BC Ferries during a time of considerable growth. In the last year, ferry traffic has increased by nearly 5%, as more people explore B.C.’s beautiful coast.

“He has also led BC Ferries in its commitment to workplace safety and has been instrumental in improving employee engagement in the organization. Since its inception, SailSafe, a joint initiative between BC Ferries and its union, has improved workplace safety. The program, which focuses on injury prevention and employee wellness, has landed the company WorkSafeBC’s Certificate of Recognition.

“Leading one of the largest coastal ferry services in the world is not an easy job, but Mike seized the opportunity and has led admirably in this important role.

“I have appreciated Mike’s leadership and have developed a tremendous amount of respect for him as we have worked together on behalf of all British Columbians to build one of the best ferry systems in the world. On behalf of the Province of B.C., I want to thank Mike for his years of service and wish him all the best wherever his career next takes him.

“BC Ferries will begin the search for his replacement in the coming weeks. I look forward to continuing to work with Mike over the next seven months and with his successor once they are named.”