The Queen of Burnaby didn't last long on the auction block. BC Ferries received an offer of $425,000.00 for the soon to be decommissioned boat.
This marks the first time the company tried selling one of its vessels through an online auction. Even though they received a bid, it’s not yet known who they are or if they'll qualify as a buyer.
BC Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall says, “there is quite a limited market for a used vessel of this age, so no, we weren't surprised that there weren't a whole bunch of bids.”
The NDP’s critic for BC Ferries, Claire Trevena, says the sale price of $425,000 is still too low. “At least we know what the cost was and how much it sold for. We still don't know how much the Chilliwack went for, when we had more than $15-million of public money going into refurbishing of it.”
The company said the Queen of Burnaby has outlived its lifespan and would be too expensive to keep as a spare.
Suggestions on what to do with the vessel have been pouring in, with some saying it should be used to start a cheaper ferry service, turned into a restaurant or floating night club, used for low-income housing or sunk and used as an artificial reef.
A handful of former vessels have also found new life in Fiji where they’re now operated by a former BC Ferries employee.