Thousands of people may be descending on Victoria on March 11, protesting service cuts to an overpriced BC Ferry System.
Notices have been posted in local webpages like the Salt Spring Exchange and Cortes Island Tideline Buses are accepting a $10 donation to transport passengers from Campbell River to Victoria, so that demonstrators can “make it back for dinner time!” Another bus will be leaving the Sunshine Coast at 6:20 am and will reach Victoria at 11:30. On April 1, 2014, the BC Ferries system intends to cut 7,000 sailings.
“The Province confirms $18.9 million in service reductions will be implemented beginning this spring to better align service levels to demand,” The Ministry of Transportation said in a recent press release. “Government also is proceeding with a reduction in the seniors’ discount, and will pursue a gaming pilot project. “These changes are in keeping with government’s vision of a coastal ferry system that is affordable, efficient and sustainable, while protecting basic services.”
They do not appear to recognize the impact this will have on the Province’s already ailing $14 Billion tourism sector.
The only alternative would be to fix the 2003 Coastal Ferry Act, which replaced an efficient public system with the mess we have now.
“BC Ferries spends about $12 on management and administrative overhead for every $1 spent on those costs by Washington State Ferries.” – the Vancouver SUN.
BCF’s CEO will be earning a mere $500,730 this year, almost half what his predecessor made in 2012, but also three times what the CEO of the Washington’s ferry system earns. Though the two lines are comparable, the manager to employee ratio is at least four times higher in BCF and there are 450 managers in BCF – costing tax payers $70 million a year!
Former CEO David Hahn, who helped design BCF”s current system, will be collecting a $300,000 pension for the rest of his life – almost double what the Washington line’s CEO was paid last year ($165,943) for working.
So what will are British Columbians being asked to sacrifice so that BCF’s executives can keep their cushy salaries?
According to an article in Common ground, “BCF hopes to save $400,000 on the Gabriola/Nanaimo run, less than one top BCF executives’ pay. The island economy will lose $6 million in business, 176 jobs will disappear and every member of the graduating class – which travelled to high school daily on the ferry – say they will be forced to leave.”
The Ministry believes it can save $725,000 by replacing the Queen of Chilliwack with the much smaller Nimpkish, on the Port Hardy to Bella Coola run. It is not known how severely this will impact Bella Colla’s $10.7 million a year tourism industry.
Early and late sailings are being slashed from the Horseshoe Bay – Bowen Island run.
Despite local opposition, BC Ferries intends to replace the existing Denman ferry with a less expensive cable ferry.
Powell River Chamber President Jack Barr wrote that the proposed “route cuts to the BC Ferry system will create ghost towns along the coast of BC, the gulf islands and parts of Vancouver Island “Calling this ‘sustainable’ is a cruel way to indicate that the government is out of touch with the reality of their own economy. Investments are fleeing the coast, and the ongoing poor management of the system with announcements like this is another obstacle for those of us trying to keep coastal economies alive.”
The Mayor of Hazelton wrote that “The impact of the ferry service on coastal residents, businesses, tourism and other stakeholders will be felt by inland communities such as ours,”
The Mayor of Tahsis protested that his community relies on sport fishing and ecotourism, “The ferry system is a vital link in the ‘roadway’ not only to our community for those purposes but also as a purveyor of people, goods and services …”
Port McNeil Councilor Gaby Wickstrom wrote, “ … think what (these cuts) are doing to the people of Vancouver Island and especially the Northern Route residents. Tourism aside, what about the socioeconomic impacts to these communities? How can one put a price on the hardship that has now been placed on them? Isolation, higher food costs and loss of business opportunities, just to name a few.
Local governments have spoken out formally and informally. Citizens came to the meetings with an attitude of collaboration, willing to work with the government and BC Ferries to find a solution. Their voices went unheard.”
There are more stories like this, from BC communities and dignitaries, accessible through the BC Ferry Coalition website @ http://www.bcferrycoalition.com/
Please Sign the On-Line Petition here, or Download this printable petition to Christy Clarke and collect signatures CLICK HERE IN PDF
Two rallies to tell the Premier: Stop the Cuts and Listen to the People!
Tuesday, March 11th, 2014 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
on the Provincial Legislature Lawn, Victoria, B.C.
chartered bus transportation is available
On Saturday, March 15th from 12 noon – 1 pm there will be 3 local rallies that coincide with rallies in other communities around the province.
- Gibsons – Sunshine Coast Highway and Pratt Rd.
- Sechelt – SIB Offices at Raven’s Cry Theatre
- Madeira Park – IGA Parking lot
(Map at top of Page: BC Ferry routes in the region of the Southern Gulf Islands. Map background from NASA World Wind, route diagram self-created.- released into Public Domain)