Learn more about BC Ferries: Read our 2024-2025 Performance & Sustainability report ❯
Executive Team
Our Executive Team provides leadership over the operation of the ferry service. Collectively, they ensure ferry services continue to provide an essential transportation link for British Columbia, connecting communities and supporting the movement of vital goods and services.
Nicolas Jimenez
President & Chief Executive Officer
In his role as President & CEO, Nicolas is proud to provide leadership and strategic direction to ensure BC Ferries fulfills its vital role connecting British Columbians to the people and places important in their lives. Since joining in 2023, his focus has been on making sure our ferry service offers great customer experiences, in a way that honours our commitment to safety, reliability and affordability.
Prior to joining BC Ferries, Nicolas spent almost 20 years at ICBC in a number of senior roles, including five years as President and CEO. Earlier in his career, he worked in strategy and public sector management, including roles in the Parliament of Canada, the Privy Council Office (Government of Canada), BC Hydro and IBM Global Business Services. Nicolas has a Master's Degree in Public Administration from both Harvard University and the University of Victoria, as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University.
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Outside of work, he sits on many boards, councils and advisory bodies, both industry groups and non-profits. He currently sits on the boards of the United Way of BC, Collingwood School Society, and Interferry and the Canadian Ferry Association. While he spends many days travelling out on our fleet on BC’s coastal waters, Nicolas also enjoys spending his free time in the mountains—skiing, biking or climbing. ⠀
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Brian Anderson
Acting Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
In his role, Brian works closely with the executive team to develop our overall corporate strategy. This includes leading and facilitating the development of a long-term strategic plan, defining our mission and vision, setting goals and objectives, and identifying the strategies needed to achieve them. Brian’s team monitors the company's overall progress and works with the executive team to refine plans to ensure BC Ferries remains on track to success.
Brian started with BC Ferries in 1998 as a Research Analyst and holds a Certified Accountant designation. Over his first 12 years at the company, he worked in a variety of departments and positions. After the Olympics in 2010, Brian joined BC Transit, where he enjoyed diverse roles in Planning and Finance before ultimately becoming Chief Operating Officer. In 2019 he returned to BC Ferries to lead the Strategic Planning, Community Relations and Government Relations portfolios.
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In his free time, Brian enjoys fishing, golfing, spending time outside with his daughter, and getting away to his cottage in the Southern Gulf Islands.
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Cameron Brine
Vice President & Chief People Officer
Cameron’s role as Vice President & CPO is to provide overall leadership to the People and Safety team for BC Ferries. The People and Safety team is responsible for ensuring there are people in place to keep our ships running smoothly. Cameron and his team do this through attracting, retaining and nurturing top talent by supporting the overall health of the BC Ferries team, providing them with a great place to work and ensuring they have opportunities for growth.
Cameron has worked across both the private and public sectors in BC with his most recent job being the Vice President of HR with the Fraser Health Authority. He has a Bachelor of Science degree (BSc) and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). Cameron hasn’t always worked in HR, however, the more experience he gains, the more he appreciates HR’s importance to the business and the more he loves his job.
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Outside of the office, Cameron enjoys skiing with his kids in the winter and exploring the coastline with them in the summer. He also loves watching Netflix documentaries.
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Darren Johnston
Vice President, Marine Operations
As Vice President of Marine Operations, Darren is responsible for the leadership and management of the fleet and personnel who keep passengers moving safely throughout coastal British Columbia. He also oversees the Operations & Security Centre which monitors and supports fleet operations daily, and the Bridge Simulator Training Facility which provides specialized training in pilotage skills necessary for safe navigation in the beautiful waters of B.C.
Prior to joining BC Ferries in 2007, Darren held both seagoing and shore-based positions in the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Canadian Navy. Some of his early career highlights include serving as Navigation Officer on NATO deployment in the Atlantic and UN peacekeeping duties in Mozambique. As a senior officer, Darren served as a Principal Warfare Officer and Commanding Officer in the Indo-Pacific and South China Sea area of operations.
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Outside of his professional role, Darren enjoys surfing, playing rugby, and coaching a U18 boys' program in Victoria.
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Stephen Duncan
Acting Vice President, Strategy & Planning
In his role, Stephen supports BC Ferries and the executive leadership team in shaping and executing our corporate strategic planning. This role involves working with critical interest holders and with talented leaders from across the organization, identifying and prioritizing opportunities for us to sustain and transform the ferry network in service to British Columbians. Stephen’s team supports the creation and sustainment of our annual and long-term strategic plans, identifying target performance outcomes and then supporting the organization in successful delivery.
Prior to joining BC Ferries, Stephen worked for the previous ~20 years in senior leadership roles spanning strategic planning, business transformation and operations, including time working with TELUS, KPMG and Accenture. He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Business Administration, both from the University of British Columbia.
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Outside of the office, Stephen’s spends his time with his family, including his two kids and his Bernese Mountain Dog called Garrus. Stephen also enjoys golfing, paddle boarding, and home improvement projects.
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Stephen Jones
Vice President, Engineering
In his role as Vice President of Engineering, Stephen works with a dedicated team of professionals to ensure that our ships and terminals are safe, reliable and sustainable.
Before joining BC Ferries in 1996, he travelled widely as an Engineer Officer with Princess Cruises. Stephen also did a stint as an Energy Consultant in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin wall. He is certified in Marine Engineering (Class 1) and Project Management, and has a Master’s Degree in Business from the University of Victoria.
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Outside of leading our engineering team, Stephen loves discovering new restaurants with friends, riding his motorbike, and watching Liverpool FC.
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Melanie Lucia
Vice President, Customer Experience
As Vice President of Customer Experience, Melanie’s mission is to deliver a safe, seamless and consistent travel experience for our customers. With over 30 years of experience, from working on the front lines at BC Ferries to leading big-picture strategies, she brings a distinctive perspective to how things work.
In 1990, Melanie started out as a casual ticket agent at BC Ferries while juggling university life. She quickly realized the opportunities for growth and learning at BC Ferries. Since then, she’s assumed various roles across different departments, progressively shouldering greater responsibilities along the way.
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Melanie holds an MBA in Executive Management from Royal Roads University, as well as credentials in Advanced Organizational Leadership from the University of Victoria and Innovation Management from the Grenoble Graduate School of Business in France.
Beyond her professional commitments, Melanie takes pride in serving as the Board Chair for a non-profit organization.
Beyond her professional commitments, Melanie takes pride in serving as the Board Chair for a non-profit organization.
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Lindsay Matthews
Vice President, Public Affairs & Marketing
In her role as Vice President of Public Affairs & Marketing, Lindsay leads public affairs, marketing and Indigenous relations. She is excited to work alongside this team to communicate important information to our customers and to enhance our relationships with our partners.
Prior to joining BC Ferries, Lindsay was Vice President, Customer Experience and Public Affairs at ICBC. She has a Bachelor's in Political Science from the University of British Columbia and a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Victoria.
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In her personal time, Lindsay makes it a point to enjoy the west coast life to its fullest, doing things like yoga, hiking on cold beaches or watching her kids play sports in the rain. She is also proud to serve on the Board of the United Way of BC.
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James Tan
Vice President & Chief Information Officer
As Vice President & CIO, James and his team are responsible for delivering technology to keep BC Ferries running smoothly and finding innovative ways to improve technology to better serve our customers.
James joined BC Ferries in July 2023 with over 20 years of business and technology leadership experience, delivering large and complex organizational transformations. Prior to joining BC Ferries, he was Vice President, Claims Customer & Material Damage Services at ICBC, where he used technology to re-design key aspects of a $1.5 billion vehicle repair claims function. Before that, he guided some of the largest and most consequential technology and business change initiatives in ICBC’s history. James holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of British Columbia and has also worked for Accenture and Ernst & Young, helping both consultancies deliver technology and business programs. James thrives on innovation and focuses on fusing people, technology and processes to deliver enduring change programs.
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When he isn’t focused on advancing how BC Ferries uses technology to better serve our customers and support our employees, James enjoys long walks with his wife and dog and has a passion for food and travel.
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Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors are stewards of BC Ferries and set the strategic direction of the company. They oversee the conduct of the business, supervise management responsible for the day-to-day conduct of the business and ensure that plans are in place to address all major risks affecting the company.Joy has most recently completed a five-year term as chair of the Insurance Corporation of BC. She has also been a director of the boards of Delta Hotels and SilverBirch Hotels, served as chair of the Expert Panel on the Future of Housing for the governments of Canada and BC, and was vice-chair of the Mobility Pricing Independent Commission.
Joy is a trustee of Adler University in Chicago and Vancouver, and a director on the boards of Covenant House Vancouver and Arthritis Research Canada. She is the vice chair of ch’Kay Development Corporation, the economic development arm of the Sḵwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw ̱ (Squamish Nation) and was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (“MLA”) for Vancouver-Hastings from 1991-2005. The Governor General of Canada appointed Joy to the Order of Canada in December 2021.
Joy is a trustee of Adler University in Chicago and Vancouver, and a director on the boards of Covenant House Vancouver and Arthritis Research Canada. She is the vice chair of ch’Kay Development Corporation, the economic development arm of the Sḵwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw ̱ (Squamish Nation) and was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (“MLA”) for Vancouver-Hastings from 1991-2005. The Governor General of Canada appointed Joy to the Order of Canada in December 2021.
Dennis is the recently retired Pensions and Benefits Advocate for the Health Sciences Association of BC. He was a director for the BC Federation of Labour, a founding member of the Municipal Pension Plan Board of Trustees and served as member of the BC Investment Management Corporation Board of Directors.
Dennis has also served as a trustee for the Canadian Blood Services Pension Plan and continues to serve on the Nurses’ Bargaining Association Retiree Benefit Fund, Joint Health Sciences Benefit Trust, and the Healthcare Investment Unit Trust.
Dennis has also served as a trustee for the Canadian Blood Services Pension Plan and continues to serve on the Nurses’ Bargaining Association Retiree Benefit Fund, Joint Health Sciences Benefit Trust, and the Healthcare Investment Unit Trust.
Harold is Executive Chair of the First Nations Financial Management Board, a fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants Association of Canada and a member of the Squamish Nation.
He brings significant board leadership as a member of the Board of Directors of Trans Mountain Corporation, the Joint Assembly of First Nations-Indigenous Services Canada Committee on Fiscal Relations, and former member of the Board of Fortis BC, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Partnerships BC, the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. Harold was instrumental in the development of the First Nations Land Management Act.
He brings significant board leadership as a member of the Board of Directors of Trans Mountain Corporation, the Joint Assembly of First Nations-Indigenous Services Canada Committee on Fiscal Relations, and former member of the Board of Fortis BC, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Partnerships BC, the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. Harold was instrumental in the development of the First Nations Land Management Act.
Eric has served in both the public and private sectors in Canada and internationally. He has served as a Deputy Minister in both the BC and Alberta Governments, as Chief Negotiator for Government of Canada and as an executive for private corporations.
Eric has extensive experience in business in Asia, North America and Europe and has served on a wide variety of Boards, including the Energy Council of Canada, National Capital Commission, Fair Trade Canada, BC Women’s Hospital Foundation, Hospice Victoria, Greater Victoria Hospital Board, GNS School Board, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters BC Board and others.
Eric has extensive experience in business in Asia, North America and Europe and has served on a wide variety of Boards, including the Energy Council of Canada, National Capital Commission, Fair Trade Canada, BC Women’s Hospital Foundation, Hospice Victoria, Greater Victoria Hospital Board, GNS School Board, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters BC Board and others.
Charlene is a lawyer and partner in the Capital Projects Group at Bennett Jones in Vancouver. She brings significant experience in infrastructure and construction as the lead or co-lead counsel on high-profile infrastructure projects in BC, including the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project, New Surrey Hospital and Cancer Centre, Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project, Royal Columbian Hospital Redevelopment Project, and Dawson Creek Hospital Redevelopment Project.
Cathy is the former Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Finance and Corporate Services with TransLink and served as Interim CEO. She is a member of the boards of Insurance Corporation of BC, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, Coast Mountain Bus Company, and Green Power Motor Company. Cathy has previously served on the boards of Providence Health Care, Transportation Property & Casualty Company Inc., British Columbia Rapid Transit Company Inc., Vancouver Coastal Health, and Canfor Asia Corporation.
Tamim is a seasoned strategist, planner, and executive, leading work with public mobility entities across Canada (for road, transit, air and marine). He is a Registered Professional Planner with the Canadian Institute of Planners and served as the Director of Strategic Planning and Policy with TransLink. Tamim is also the cofounder and principal of Access Planning, a national strategic planning consultancy firm.
Tamim has overseen the creation of major regional strategies, developed megaprojects and large transport service programs, created new institutional and project governance models, and developed complex funding and delivery strategies for organizations including TransLink, Greater Toronto Airports Authority (Pearson), Metropolitan Transportation Commission, ARTM (Montréal's Autorité Régionale de Transport Métropolitain), San Francisco Transportation Authority and the Cities of Toronto and Montréal.
Tamim has overseen the creation of major regional strategies, developed megaprojects and large transport service programs, created new institutional and project governance models, and developed complex funding and delivery strategies for organizations including TransLink, Greater Toronto Airports Authority (Pearson), Metropolitan Transportation Commission, ARTM (Montréal's Autorité Régionale de Transport Métropolitain), San Francisco Transportation Authority and the Cities of Toronto and Montréal.
Lecia is a recognized industry leader with more than 25 years of experience advising on start-up, procurement, governance, and delivery strategies for large and complex infrastructure projects. She served as President and Project Director for two major Canadian transit projects – the $1.2 billion SkyTrain Millennium Line and Metro Vancouver’s West Coast Express commuter rail – both of which were delivered on time and under budget. Lecia was also Vice President at Bombardier Transportation. In 2005, she founded the Stewart Group, a consulting firm offering strategic advisory services for major infrastructure projects.
Paul is Principal of PWF Consulting, providing organizations in BC with strategic guidance on complex labour relations matters, stakeholder relations, governance and employment issues. Prior to founding PWF Consulting in 2021, he held the position of President and Chief Executive Officer with the BC division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) representing more than 100,000 members across the province.
Over his 37-year career, Paul held numerous elected positions at all levels within CUPE and the broader labour movement including as General Vice President of CUPE National, and as an Officer with the BC Federation of Labour. He has vast board, governance and financial oversight experience as well training in leadership, labour law, human rights and occupational health and safety. Paul is currently a member of the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board and chairperson of the governance committee.
Over his 37-year career, Paul held numerous elected positions at all levels within CUPE and the broader labour movement including as General Vice President of CUPE National, and as an Officer with the BC Federation of Labour. He has vast board, governance and financial oversight experience as well training in leadership, labour law, human rights and occupational health and safety. Paul is currently a member of the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board and chairperson of the governance committee.
Grant Main is a former career public sector executive with over 30 years in the British Columbia Public Service. Grant served as the Deputy Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure for 10 years, and was previously the Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, and the Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport. Grant also served as a Vice-President with Partnerships B.C., and held positions with Treasury Board Staff, The Ministry of Finance, and several other Ministries. He has extensive experience in all aspects of infrastructure - policy, planning, finance, delivery and oversight - as well as in the development, governance and oversight of a range of Crown Agencies, Project Boards and independent regulators, which included directorships in several Crown Corporations and on a range of Project Boards, across multiple sectors.
Our governance
BC Ferries is an independent, regulated ferry service contractor that serves the public interest according to the Coastal Ferry Services Contract, the Coastal Ferry Act, and the oversight of the British Columbia Ferry Commission.
We operate within a complex legislative and economic regulatory framework that was established in 2003 when the provincial government enacted the Coastal Ferry Act to create a new model for the delivery of coastal ferry services.
Coastal Ferry Act
Among other things, the Coastal Ferry Act converted BC Ferries from its status as a Crown corporation to a private company and created our parent company and sole voting shareholder, the B.C. Ferry Authority.
It also established the office of the BC Ferry Commission overseen by the Commissioner and authorized the provincial government to enter contracts for the operation of ferries on specified ferry routes.
The B.C. Ferry Authority is a corporation without share capital and is BC Ferries’ sole voting shareholder.
The Authority’s four core responsibilities are to:- appoint the board of directors of BC Ferries
- establish a compensation plan for the directors of BC Ferries
- approve an executive compensation plan for the executives of BC Ferries
- oversee the strategic direction of BC Ferries in support of the public interest
BC Ferry Services Inc. Board of Directors
The board of directors of BC Ferries is appointed by the company’s sole voting shareholder, B.C. Ferry Authority. The board has four standing committees, each appointed by the board as a whole and responsible for the oversight of a particular area. Each committee operates according to a specific mandate established by the board.The committees and their mandates are as follows:
The Audit & Finance Committee assists the board in matters related to finance, audit and enterprise risk.
The Safety, Health, Environment & Security Committee assists the board in matters related to safety, health, environment and security.
The Governance & Human Resources Committee assists the board in ensuring that the corporate governance system of the company is effective and reviews the approach taken to manage human resources, including the recruitment, retention, motivation, and engagement of employees.
The Capital Projects Committee assists the board in fulfilling its responsibilities with respect to the oversight of specific capital projects of BC Ferries.
In fiscal 2025, a sub-committee of the Capital Projects Committee was established to provide governance oversight of the Fleet Renewal Program, including the New Major Vessel project. This Committee is referred to as the “Capital Projects Committee (Fleet Renewal Program) – Project Board”.
In 2023, a Joint Planning Committee made up of board members from the BC Ferries Services Board and the B.C. Ferry Authority Board (the JPC) was established. The work of the JPC was ongoing in fiscal 2025 to collaborate on and oversee the Charting the Course initiative, in order to:
- Develop a new strategic planning framework
- Develop a work plan for a new long-term vision and a medium-term plan
- Steer the development of the new long-term vision
Relationship to the Provincial Government
Under the Coastal Ferry Services Contract with the Province, BC Ferries provides passenger and vehicle ferry services on the west coast of BC. The provincial government holds preferred non-voting shares of BC Ferries and is entitled to receive an annual dividend of $6.0 million, as and when declared by the BC Ferries’ board of directors.Coastal Ferry Services Contract
Our contract with the provincial government, which commenced in 2003 for a term of 60-years, stipulates, among other things, the minimum number of round trips we must provide for each regulated ferry service route and the fees the Province is to pay in exchange for those services. This contract is reviewed and updated at four-year intervals, called performance terms. The most recent renewal of the contract was completed for Performance Term 6 (April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2028). Under the Coastal Ferry Services Contract, BC Ferries also administers contracts on behalf of the Province for the provision of services by independent ferry operators on several additional coastal routes.
British Columbia Ferry Commission
The Commission, independent of both the Province and BC Ferries, is responsible for monitoring service levels and other matters, and regulating average fare increases. The regulator uses a price cap mechanism to establish the fares BC Ferries can charge customers.The Commission undertakes this regulation in the public interest in accordance with the following principles:
- Balance the interests of ferry users, taxpayers and the financial sustainability of ferry operators
- Encourage BC Ferries to meet provincial greenhouse gas emissions targets in its operations and when developing capital plans, and
- Encourage innovation and minimize expenses without adversely affecting safe compliance with core ferry services.