A human rights complaint about medically assured ferry loading in Nanaimo has been dismissed, but the traveller involved may still receive a settlement. The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal released its decision on July 17 following a case brought by Roger Chin. The complaint arose from a 2019 incident when Chin, who had suffered a brain injury, was not permitted to bypass a two-sailing wait at Departure Bay while trying to reach Horseshoe Bay. He presented a doctor’s note written in 2016 but did not have formal approval under B.C. Ferries’ medically assured loading program. Without that approval, priority boarding was not granted. Chin later applied for the program but his application was denied.
In 2020, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General ordered B.C. Ferries to provide assured loading to travellers heading to or from medical treatment if they had a doctor’s note and a completed travel assistance plan form. This order was adopted into B.C. Ferries policy in 2023. The tribunal noted that the expansion of the rules meant travellers such as Chin, who could not endure long waits due to medical conditions, would now qualify for priority boarding.
B.C. Ferries requested that the complaint be dismissed, arguing that the new policy had already resolved the broader concerns. Chin, however, had also sought a personal remedy of $20,000, which kept the case active. The company has since offered a settlement of $15,000, stating that this amount, together with the systemic changes, fully resolves the matter.
In the ruling, tribunal vice-chairperson Devyn Cousineau concluded that continuing the hearing would not serve any useful purpose. She acknowledged Chin’s efforts to advocate for people with disabilities and noted that his complaint had effectively achieved its goal. Cousineau reminded him that the $15,000 settlement offer remains open should he choose to accept it.
Although Chin’s complaint has been dismissed, the settlement offer provides an opportunity for financial recognition of his efforts. His case also shows how individual challenges can lead to broader policy changes. What began as one traveller’s denied request has reshaped how ferry services treat passengers with medical needs.
Chin did not receive the full compensation he sought, but his advocacy brought lasting change to the ferry system. Medically vulnerable travellers across the region now have greater access to assured loading, ensuring that others do not face the same difficulties. The dismissal highlights the balance between systemic reform and personal remedies in human rights cases. While Chin’s individual claim ended without a full award, his efforts have influenced policies that will benefit many people in the future.
