How Port Authority Directors are Appointed

Established on July 1, 1999 under the Canada Marine Act (CMA) the Port Alberni Harbour Commission became one of 18 current Canadian Port Authorities. As a result of the new legislated terms of operation and governance under the CMA the Port Authority is mandated to be financially self-sufficient while satisfying the needs of users at a reasonable cost; maintaining a high level of safety and environmental protection; and managing the marine infrastructure and services in a commercial manner. The role of the Port Authority’s board of directors is to provide the vision, direction and oversight of the Port’s operations to ensure its mandate is being delivered.
The Board of Directors consists of seven members: one each directly appointed by the Municipal, Provincial and Federal governments, respectively, and four others appointed from the Port’s four User Groups, as defined in its Letters Patent. The Letters Patent of the Port Authority stipulate that the board must include a director representing each of the following user group categories:
i. Commodity Shippers
ii. Marine Carriers
iii. Service Providers
iv. Other Port Related Businesses
These four appointments are made by the Minister of Transport with input from the Port Advisory Nominating Committee. The Port Advisory Nomination Committee, as mandated by the CMA, is composed of representatives of the users of the Port and submits a minimum of two names and a maximum of 4 names for each vacancy of the “User Group” Director positions to the Minister of Transport for consideration. The Minister of Transport appoints a nominee to the Board of Directors to fill vacant User Group director positions.
The directors of a Port Authority shall have generally acknowledged and accepted stature within the transportation industry or business community and relevant knowledge and extensive experience related to the management of a business to the operation of a port or to maritime trade.
The following individuals may not be Directors:
a) an individual who is a mayor, councilor, officer or employee of the City of Port Alberni;
b) an individual who is a member of the legislature of the Province of British Columbia, or an officer or employee of the public service or of a Crown corporation of the Province of British Columbia;
c) a Senator or a Member of Parliament or an officer or employee of the Federal public service or of a federal Crown Corporation;
d) an individual who is not a resident Canadian as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Canada Business Corporations Act;
e) an individual who is a director, officer or employee of a person who is a user of the port;
f) an individual who is under 18 years of age;
g) an individual who has been declared mentally incompetent by a court in Canada or elsewhere; or
h) an undischarged bankrupt.
Typically, Directors are appointed for three year terms and may serve for three terms or nine continuous years; whichever comes first.
The current members of the Port Alberni Port Authority Board of Directors are:
Don Ferster (Chair): User Group appointment
Gordon Blake: User Group appointment
Ron Crema: User Group appointment
Darren DeLuca: Government of Canada appointment
Ken McRae: City of Port Alberni appointment
Dianne St. Jacques: Province of BC appointment
Gillian Trumper: User Group appointment
For more information about the Port Alberni Port Authority’s governance please visit www.portalberniportauthority.ca and click on “Administration”