Government leaders in Powell River are sending a letter to the provincial government asking it to collaborate with a working group to design connecting schedules for all routes serving the community.
The provincial government has announced service reductions on BC Ferries’ minor routes, in an effort to find $18.9 million in savings. The service cuts total 16 per cent of all round trips servicing Powell River and Texada Island, for a total estimated savings of $2.42 million to 2016.
Colin Palmer, chair of Powell River Regional District board, brought forward the letter at the November 28 regional board meeting. It is addressed to Todd Stone, minister of transportation and infrastructure, and will be signed by Palmer, City of Powell River Mayor Dave Formosa and Tla’amin (Sliammon) First Nation Chief Clint Williams.
“Many businesses, community groups and individuals have told us that the sailings that have been selected to be cut will adversely affect their ability to operate or access services outside of the community,” the letter states in part. “It is imperative that scheduling solutions be developed to mitigate the negative impact on our residents as much as possible.”
Palmer said coastal communities are beyond the tipping point. “I don’t know where the bottom is,” he said. “We’re going down. I just do not know where this thing is going to end up and neither does BC Ferries and neither does the government.”
Locally, Palmer added, “we’re in for a perfect storm in April. In the middle of January, we’re changing the schedules to suit the dock closures and in the middle of March we go back to a schedule that might last two weeks, then on April 1, 2014, we have the cuts, a whole pile of other schedules in Powell River and ferry fares are going up another four per cent.”
Powell River Chamber of Commerce has ramped up its fiscal fairness campaign and is calling on all other BC chambers of commerce to join by asking the provincial government to bring in immediate changes to the cost and structure of BC Ferries.
The chamber sent a camera team up to Haida Gwaii to provide live online video coverage of the public meetings in Queen Charlotte City and Massett. The camera crew also broadcast the public meeting in Prince Rupert and Jack Barr, chamber president, attended that meeting as well. He also attended the public meeting in Campbell River about cuts to the Quadra Island service.
“BC Ferries is trying to shut down our highway for longer periods and make it harder for people or goods to afford to travel our highways,” said Barr. “It’s very bad for business. Haida Gwaii has a large resource base with tax revenues to the Crown. They should not be pushed aside simply because they are a small, remote population.”
Barr said out of about 45 chambers in coastal communities, over 10 have committed by letter to join the campaign and another 10 to 15 have said they support it, but need to get approval from their boards. “We’re in excess of 50 per cent of the chambers wanting to join us,” he said. “We’re going to spend the next few weeks getting in touch with the rest of them and getting them together.”
From there, Barr said he expects an executive committee will be formed.
