The Chamber applauds the provincial government’s initiative to seek public input on plans to rejuvenate Belleville Terminal.
 
The facility in the Inner Harbour has served as a gateway for international visitors arriving by water since 1924. As a champion of our region’s tourism industry, The Chamber has consistently advocated for the terminal and the need to modernize it with the times.
 
“We’ve been calling for renovations for decades, and it’s taken time to get all levels of government onboard,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “Now that we’ve done that, there’s no time to lose. The requirements to be a border crossing have changed and there’s a real risk we could lose our port of entry.”
 
More than 680,000 passengers travelled through Belleville Terminal in 2019 and spent about $174 million in Greater Victoria, says the province’s project plan.

Belleville Terminal generates 220,000 overnight visitors and sells over 16,000 vacation packages annually to their passengers, all of which are provided by local businesses in Victoria.
 
The province is developing a business case for the project. It’s expected to cost up to $290 million and be completed by fall 2027.
 
A temporary terminal will be built until a new facility is ready.