A new $304 million ferry terminal in Victoria鈥檚 Inner Harbour is one step closer to becoming reality.  

The Ministry of Transportation announced March 13 that they had completed phase 1 of the project, with phase 2 set to begin in spring 2025.  

"We are one phase away from having a new Belleville Terminal, with the first phase of redevelopment now officially complete," said Jonathan Wilkinson, federal minister of energy and natural resources.  

"This project is a key milestone for Greater Victoria, strengthening trade, travel and tourism by serving as a vital transportation gateway for goods and people. It also meets modern security standards, enhancing safety and efficiency while supporting the region's continued growth for decades to come." 

The first phase of the project, which began in March 2024, sought to modify the Steamship Wharf and the construction of a temporary terminal within the steamship building to house FRS Clipper and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The new temporary terminal will enable ferry service between Vancouver Island and Washington state to continue during construction of the new terminal.  

鈥淭he completion of the first phase of the project lays the groundwork for new terminal facilities that will secure our Canada-U.S. border, improve travel convenience and help drive the regional economy," said B.C. Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth  

"This has been discussed for decades and has broad support locally and across the business and tourism communities." 

Phase 2 will now see the demolition of the existing Clipper terminal and be followed by the construction of a new pre-clearance terminal building. The new building will be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification and feature an all-electric facility, using minimal energy.  

The new terminal will be designed to comply with Canada-U.S. land, rail, marine and air transport pre-clearance agreements intended to make travel through the terminal faster and easier, by allowing passengers to complete the customs and immigration process before disembarking. 

鈥淚t means the border services will be able to operate properly and function as they should, which is really good in terms of tourism on the south Island.鈥� said Farnworth. 

As the province finalizes details on the design and construction of the project, it is currently expected to be complete in time for the 2028 tourism season.