Chamber accepts fiscal fairness policy
Powell River Chamber of Commerce was successful in having a transportation policy accepted by the provincial body.
President Jack Barr proposed the policy at BC Chamber of Commerce’s annual general meeting last weekend. With a slight amendment it was accepted.
“This is the first time in my 14 years as chamber manager that we have authored and submitted a policy,” Kim Miller said Monday, May 26. “Our policy, with our name attached, will be forever included in the BC chamber’s annual Policy and Procedures guidelines book. It’s another small step but nonetheless a step in the right direction for all ferry-dependent coastal communities.”
The new BC chamber policy asks that the provincial government:
1. support the principle of Fiscal Fairness in planning, funding and development of the transportation corridors in BC, to ensure secure private sector investment throughout BC, and a prosperous economy;
2. prepare plans for alternatives for BC’s marine transportation corridor that include toll highways, toll bridges and water taxis, with a costing plan that allows for potential private sector involvement, and that these plans be considered as an alternative to BC Ferries if suitable to the needs of the communities.
Miller said she is proud of her president and ferry committee, consisting of vice-president Cory Carr, past president Mayor Dave Formosa along with directors Mark Hassett and Pat Hull, who have been working on the Fiscal Fairness ferry campaign since November 2013.
“The campaign continues,” said Miller.
BC chamber is the largest and most broadly-based business organization in the province. It represents more than 125 chambers of commerce and 36,000 businesses of every size, sector and region of the province.
Ferry advisory committee
Co-chairs Kim Barton-Bridges and Jacqueline Donaldson are heading up the Northern Sunshine Coast Ferry Advisory Committee following Bill Cripps’ departure last month.
“Kim and I are temporary replacements while we find a permanent chair to replace Bill, who is, as you can imagine, missed,” wrote Donaldson in an email to the Peak.
At the end of this year the terms for all committee members will be up, explained Barton-Bridges, “and it could possibly be new people. We just thought that as Bill had resigned last month it was better to have a chair or a couple of co-chairs to see the end of the year out.”
Donaldson has been with the committee for two years, joining because she wanted to do volunteer work that would have some impact. “The issues are ongoing and are felt in our local business community, in our tourism numbers, on our sports and cultural scene, and with our seniors,” she added.
Barton-Bridges joined the committee last year.
