Dear Editor,
By the time this is published, BC Ferries (BCF) will have implemented its new schedule. The effects of the changes will not be felt until Saturday May 3 when the 5:30 and 7:30a.m. ferry sailings will be cut, as well as the 7:30a.m. and 8p.m. sailings on Sunday. While not a perfect compromise, these changes meet the non-negotiable demands of the provincial government to reduce sailings on the Bowen run (Route 8) and retain both early and late sailings, a plan which had not been included in the original provincial “consultation document.”Yet both BCF and Ministry officials have resisted attempts to provide transparency in their accounting and costs, so there is currently no way to know if the various schedule changes and fare increases (including the seniors’ fare increase) have created the required savings.
Recent letters to The Undercurrent have suggested that our Council and its committees (in this case the Bowen Island Municipality Transportation Advisory Committee, BIMTAC) have not been successful in dealing with the consultation process and that the provincial government has imposed on Bowen Island.
None of the affected communities around the Georgia Strait have had any success – we are all too small and have insufficient political clout. There is very little we can do about it: protests and demonstrations have had no effect in Victoria. While we can (and should) make our opinions known, the government has already made up its mind about changes to the ferry system. When Mayor Adelaar and I met recently with the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Todd Stone, the minister confirmed this.
The simple fact is that our ferry system is broken. It is broken because of decades of mismanagement by politicians from both parties, bureaucrats, and BCF management. The question is how it should be changed, and not simply repaired.
We on Bowen can influence the future for BCF, at least for route 8. BCF operates the ferry system under a contract with the provincial government, a 60-year contract that started in 2003, which has to be reviewed and renegotiated every fouryears. This renegotiation is carried out under the supervision of the BC Ferry Commissioner, who functions in a manner similar to that of a utilities review commission in other areas. The next review will start in September of this year, with a view to having a renegotiated contract (PT-4) by early 2016. The Commissioner has already asked BCF to address three major items:
The costs and revenues of operating the BCF system with a view to establishing the maximum fare increases over the next four years (the “fare cap”)
A plan for investing in new vessels and terminal facilities
A performance review
I will be meeting with the Ferry Commissioner in the near future as well as with other ferry advisory committee chairs. Each of these issues will be on the agenda.
In the meantime we have other ferry issues to address. As far as we know, BCF is still planning to take the Queen of Capilano out of service for five months starting January 2015 for a mid-life upgrade. The question of replacement vessels has yet to be solved and we are adamant that we cannot go back to the reduced vehicle capacity provided through the Howe Sound Queen yet no alternatives have been proposed. It is essential that BIMTAC follow this, reduced ferry capacity for a significant period of 2015 could have significant economic and social effects.
We need all Bowen islanders to pull together to maintain Bowen’s reputation as a pleasant and convenient place to live.
Saying all this, it is important to remember that BIMTAC does not simply cover ferry issues. There are several major questions that could affect how our on-island bus service is delivered by Translink. The service contract is up for renewal, and Translink officials have indicated they will want to see some changes. At the same time Translink is committed to rolling out the Compass fare card program, even though there are substantial technical problems with the use of the electronic card program on Bowen. BIMTAC will play a major role in the negotiations with Translink.
May 31 will mark the fifteenth anniversary of the successful bus service on Bowen. We must collectively celebrate this achievement.
Sincerely,
Adam Holbrook, BIMTAC Chair
