New Belleville Terminal in Victoria to be complete by 2028

A rendering of the proposed design for the new Belleville Terminal in Victoria. (Province of B.C.)

The British Columbia government has approved funding to build a new Belleville Terminal for U.S. ferry passengers in downtown Victoria.

The province announced Friday that the federal government would commit at least $41.6 million toward the project, which is budgeted at $303.9 million and is expected to be open for the 2028 tourism season.

"The new facility we’re building is going to generate hundreds of new jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in additional visitor spending over the coming decades," Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, said in a statement.

"A modern pre-clearance terminal will make travel more convenient for tourists, while enhancing security and trade between Vancouver Island and Washington state, improving Vancouver Island’s tourism sector and boosting regional business investment."

The province says it is in discussions with ferry operators Black Ball Ferry Line and FRS Clipper to determine their involvement in the project.

Federal tourism minister Randy Boissonnault said Ottawa's investment will help grow B.C.'s economy.

"This project will welcome global tourists and business travellers into the heart of Victoria’s inner harbour with world-class service while creating good-paying jobs and facilitating the movement of goods," Boissonnault said.

The first phase of the project, anticipated to be complete in 2024, will build a temporary terminal in the Steamship Building and a new wharf to accommodate the Clipper and U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel.

The second phase will see the removal of the existing Clipper terminal infrastructure, replacing it with a new pre-clearance terminal, the province said.