David Eby has made buying BC and Canadian a prominent part of his pitch to voters.
And he has specifically pointed to BC Ferries as an example.
Speaking to the Union of BC Municipalities on September 18, Eby promised: “I will be directing BC Ferries to ensure that the next generation of BC Ferries vessels will be built right here in British Columbia.”
His message was clear: major spending should benefit British Columbians.
Eby also highlighted BC Ferries’ efforts to buy local food. BC Ferries says more than 60 percent of the food served onboard comes from BC, including 100 percent of the eggs used in its breakfasts.
But another major BC Ferries purchase raises questions about how far that Buy Canadian commitment extends.
BC Ferries issued a request for proposals for diesel fuel and aqueous urea solution on November 21, 2025. Bidding closed in February. Public procurement records list the competition as closed but do not identify the successful bidder.
BC Ferries has had a long-standing relationship with Parkland Corporation as a fuel supplier.
That company is no longer independently Canadian-owned.
U.S.-based Sunoco completed its acquisition of Parkland on October 31, 2025, three weeks before BC Ferries issued the fuel RFP. Parkland became a wholly owned subsidiary within Sunoco’s corporate structure.
Sunoco is controlled through Texas-based Energy Transfer. U.S. election records show Energy Transfer contributed US$12.5 million to MAGA Inc. in February 2025. Executive chairman Kelcy Warren contributed another US$12.5 million.
BC Ferries may operate at arm’s length from government, but the premier has publicly said he will direct the company when it comes to building ferries in BC, while pointing to its local food purchases as evidence of the benefits of buying close to home.
The fuel procurement now puts that position under closer scrutiny.