Bill Cripps has stepped down as chair of the Northern Sunshine Coast Ferry Advisory Committee.
Cripps’ decision marks the end of a long run of negotiation and the start of new challenges facing coastal communities.
Cripps said his decision was in no way determined by the recent spate of challenges and frustrations in dealing with cutbacks handed down by the province.
“Our marine highways are vital for economic sustainability and growth,” Cripps said. “The committee is poised for the next phase of positioning to maintain workable, equitable ferry service and try to convince the government to maintain the ferries as part of the vital transportation infrastructure.”
Speaking about his resignation, he said, “It was time for me to step aside and allow someone else to come, fresh eyes to bring to the table moving forward. Powell River is a commerce economy that depends, as all coastal communities do, upon trade, commerce and transportation. When WAC Bennett created the ferry system it was to meet that exact need. We need to get back to that kind of thinking.”
Cripps said it was a “slippery slope” that ferries started down when price hikes began over the last decade. The higher prices went, the fewer people used the ferries. Fewer people meant less money. Finally, Cripps explained, in 2008 ferries actually ran at a deficit. This caught the attention of the government which in turn went into strategic reactionary mode.
Scott Randolph, City of Powell River manager of economic development, said that Cripps’ contributions will be missed. “With Bill there’s some pretty big shoes to fill. He’s done an amazing job. He’s represented this community very well. He was always making sure the community’s concerns were at the forefront.”
Randolph explained the next steps for the committee. “The city received Bill’s resignation,” he said. “My understanding is that they will be looking for someone to replace him for the remainder of his term—whether as chair or not remains to be seen.” Once housekeeping is done discussion with ferries will continue.
“To this point we’ve completed the negotiation for adjustments to the schedules, to ensure that community needs were being met,” Randolph said. “Next we will continue with ferries to discuss the home porting issue and the desire on Texada to have a triangle route. It is a serious circumstance with serious consequences if solutions are not nailed down. With limited transportation, the economy suffers.”
Cripps acknowledged fellow members of the advisory committee, saying it had been a pleasure working with such interesting, professionally minded people who are experts in their respective fields. “There are some very interesting and effective people on the advisory committee who continue to lobby for effective measures. Things will continue in the spirit of progress.”
Also on the committee are Kim Barton-Bridges, Jane Cameron, Jacquie Donaldson, Warren Kiland, Sandy McCormick, Chris McNaughton, Doug Skinner and Ken White.
Critics of BC Ferries’ strategy of public consultation have said that despite all of the efforts of the committee, ferry fares continue to increase into regions of un-affordability, accompanied by repetitive rhetoric from the provincial government that is disconnected from acceptance, or even understanding. They say the consultation process was just a stop-gap.
One of the objectives of the advisory committee in the future will be to encourage the government to look much harder at possible cost savings measures on major routes, which remain largely untouched by the cutbacks, rather than focusing on the 22 smaller coastal community routes that have been most affected by changes.
