How predictable was the dismissal of BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez? It depends on who you ask, but the timing of the move is drawing interest.

The BC Ferries board’s decision to remove Jimenez was finalized just two days after the provincial election was called for the Conservatives, and Jimenez had previously worked closely with outgoing NDP Leader David Eby. When Eby was attorney general, Jimenez was CEO of ICBC, and the two worked closely to complete the move to no-fault insurance.

It’s worth noting the Conservatives have called for Jimenez to be fired before, in the wake of public outcry over B.C. Ferries awarding a lucrative contract for major new vessels to a state-owned Chinese shipyard.

Eric McNeely, provincial president of the BC Ferry and Marine Workers’ Union, says it’s likely too late for the incoming Conservatives to cancel that contract, although he hopes they’ll honour the NDP’s pre-campaign promise to build B.C.’s ferries of the future at home.

“I think that’s a bit of a turning point, if you will,” McNeely said.

“Everyone, the prime minister, the premier, all talking about, ‘Buy your milk, buy your blueberries, buy everything Canadian,’ and then we just look and move a billion dollars overseas that creates no positive impact into the province.”

Beyond the outsourcing of the new fleet, McNeely says he felt Jimenez under-invested in frontline workers and instead put too much emphasis on software upgrades and high-level hires.

“Originally, when Nicolas came in, there was sort of an expectation that we would see some management reductions,” he said.

“We haven’t seen those. In fact, from our members, we hear that we’ve seen management increase.”

No reason was provided for why Jimenez was relieved of his duties, and no dollar figure was provided for his severance.

This comes at the same time the board is launching a broader “revitalization review.”

Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog says he was caught off-guard by the timing of this development and felt Jimenez was well-qualified and doing a good job.

“I don’t think Mr. Jimenez did anything that required him to walk the plank, and if the board wished to change course, they should have been thinking about this some time ago,” Krog said.

However, he agrees with the union that B.C. needs to be building its own ferries.

“I’m hopeful the government will consider seriously that, even though, on the face of it, the cost will be higher for the price of the vessel, the impact on B.C.’s economy, and most importantly, government revenue, will be exponential,” Krog said.

A news release from BC Ferries says Brian Anderson, the company’s vice-president of strategy and planning, has been appointed as the interim CEO, effective immediately.

A search for a permanent successor is planned to begin once the revitalization review is completed.