Province seeks input on planned Belleville Street ferry terminal redevelopment

The Bellville Terminal is pictured across the water of the Victoria Inner Harbour. (CTV News)

Victoria’s marine gateway to Washington state is about to get a major facelift as the province plans to spend more than $200 million on upgrades to the Belleville Street ferry terminal.

The province is now seeking public input on the redevelopment.

"Our government has been working really hard behind the scenes, and now we want to go to the public," said Minister of Infrastructure Rob Fleming on Tuesday.

"There’s going to be retail opportunities," he added. "There's going to be enhancements and beautification of the harbour, public plazas and spaces. Those kinds of ideas are really what we’re looking for."

The Belleville Terminal Redevelopment Project also includes a new pre-clearance customs building that would serve passengers on both the Victoria Clipper and Coho ferries.

A new commercial good processing facility is also planned, alongside upgrades to the aging infrastructure and wharf facilities.

Operators say they are excited about the prospect of streamlining services and increasing capacity for international crossings to Washington state.

"The biggest thing is having both customs in a centralized place," said Black Ball Ferry Line president Ryan Burles.

"I think that will speed things up immensely, and make it as seamless as possible," he added.

The upgrades are expected to generate more than $257 million per year in visitor spending and create more than 3,200 regional jobs over the next 20 years, according to the province.

There will be an open house on the project on Sept. 27 at the Crystal Gardens Conference Centre from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

An online survey about the site plans is open until Oct. 20.