Over 100 Texada Island residents gathered in the community hall at Gillies Bay Wednesday, December 5, to voice their concerns about future fare increases and service cuts by BC Ferries to the island.
The meeting was one of 37 being held in coastal communities this fall. The province is consulting with the public about the future of the coastal ferry system. Forecasts predict BC Ferries will rack up annual deficits of $56 million in the next five years and the province has responded by saying the corporation must cut $30 million by 2016. BC Ferries has already realized $4 million in savings by reducing sailings on major routes.
Kirk Handrahan, executive director of infrastructure development and marine for the ministry of transportation and infrastructure, headed up the Gillies Bay meeting with Peter Simpson, BC Ferries’ director of operational planning, and David Hendry, BC Ferries’ director of strategic planning.
Some key questions posed by the government were: What’s the annual utilization of the route? How does a route perform in terms of its finances? What’s the basic level of service needed? For routes where ferries are going to be replaced soon, what considerations should be made to ensure that new vessels meet ferry users’ needs?
Stories of frustration with rising fares and their impacts were echoed throughout the evening.
“When the fares go up,” said resident Caroline Wood, “I ride less. It’s a direct correlation.”
For tourism-reliant small businesses, rising fares have been disastrous.
“This area is a jewel for all of BC,” said Karen May. “We need to invest in promoting tourism. The exorbitant fares for RVs are stopping people from coming here.”
Texada’s ferry connection is an “economic engine,” which draws money into the local economy, much in the same way as the new Vancouver Island highway has helped to vitalize communities up the island coast.
Daniel Rucks, co-owner of the Ravenous Raven Lodge and Restaurant, said that a service reduction will make the island “more isolated. We’ll be taking our money to Powell River, but they won’t be bringing their money here.”
For many this is part of a fundamental debate over whether the ferry system should be about profit or loss or is an extension of the highway system.
Sandy McCormick, one of two Texada Island representatives on BC Ferries’ Northern Sunshine Coast Ferry Advisory Committee, said she felt like she has been treated as a “second-class British Columbian,” because taxpayers fully support the provincial highway system.
Nicholas Simons, MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast, said the ferry system should be a stable, affordable public service. “We don’t expect only those who use the health care or education systems to pay. We shouldn’t be expected to bear the costs alone.”
Despite the fact that for many Texada residents fare increases and cuts to their service seem like a foregone conclusion, some residents said they thought government’s statistics don’t tell the whole story.
“Utilization as a target misses the point,” said Chuck Childress. “No community gets to choose the vessel that services their community.”
Childress said he was disappointed that senior officials from the ministry, including Kevin Richter, assistant deputy minister, did not attend the Texada meeting, even though Richter did attend the Powell River meeting. “The closer you get to the ivory tower, the more attention you get,” Childress said. “The further away you are from the ivory tower, the less attention you get. Ferry service is more important to the communities that are furthest from the ivory tower.”
Texada is easily the most ferry-dependent community in the area, Childress added. “Yet, that’s not where they come,” he said. “Why? Because it’s a pain...to get there.”
For Handrahan the consultation is about ensuring the long-term future for the service.
“What is it going to look like in 25 years from now?” said Handrahan. “There are no easy answers to these questions.”
