Island News & Views
General · 25th October 2007
Claire Trevena, MLA
October 25, 2007
ISLAND MLAS DEMAND FERRIES BE PART OF THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM
VICTORIA – New Democrat MLA Claire Trevena tabled a motion this week in the legislature calling for ferries to be recognized as part of the public highway system.
“Ferries are part of our highways – anyone who lives on an island can tell you that,” said Trevena, MLA for North Island. “They link public roads – whether it is the Trans Canada highway from the Mainland to Vancouver Island or a rural road on Vancouver Island to another island community.
“Recognizing this reality will go a long way in dealing with the spiralling costs of ferry fares, which are hurting people and businesses.
“It is a tightening financial noose for ferry-dependent families, businesses are worried about their future and communities are suffering because of the fare increases,” said Trevena, who represents four ferry dependent communities. “With further increases planned through 2011, the situation is becoming critical for islanders.”
The NDP's Island Caucus is planning a series of public consultations about our ferry system. Trevena is bringing BC NDP Ferries Critic and MLA for North Coast , Gary Coons, to Quadra and Cortes islands on November 3.
ISLAND MLAS DEMAND FERRIES BE PART OF THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM
VICTORIA – New Democrat MLA Claire Trevena tabled a motion this week in the legislature calling for ferries to be recognized as part of the public highway system.
“Ferries are part of our highways – anyone who lives on an island can tell you that,” said Trevena, MLA for North Island. “They link public roads – whether it is the Trans Canada highway from the Mainland to Vancouver Island or a rural road on Vancouver Island to another island community.
“Recognizing this reality will go a long way in dealing with the spiralling costs of ferry fares, which are hurting people and businesses.
“It is a tightening financial noose for ferry-dependent families, businesses are worried about their future and communities are suffering because of the fare increases,” said Trevena, who represents four ferry dependent communities. “With further increases planned through 2011, the situation is becoming critical for islanders.”
The NDP's Island Caucus is planning a series of public consultations about our ferry system. Trevena is bringing BC NDP Ferries Critic and MLA for North Coast , Gary Coons, to Quadra and Cortes islands on November 3.
It was once...
Comment by Tony on 29th October 2007
The ferries were a part of the highays system originally; that's why the pictures of the Quadra Queen II and the Tachek in the Landing show them construction yellow and white (Dept of highways before they privatized too!). At one time not that long ago the ferries were free as they were considered part of the highway network. It is well past time that these essential services be reconized as such and the attitude of ferries being a frivilous waste of money be stomped. Talking to some non-islander's the opinion of "if they want to live there they should pay the price" seems to be shockingly common. So if I moved here less than 10 years ago when ferry fare was the same price for a car as it is for a person now it's just too bad for me? I have to move because the SoCreds privatized and now I have to pay for the BC Ferries FastCat fiasco?
Further to re-recognizing them as part of the highway system; I say each run should be finacially audited independent of others and made public to the community. An increase, if any, should be justified only against the cost vs revenues of that run and not a reflection of the management of the entire BC Ferries Corp as a whole or the poor management of any particular run. I have a hard time believing that the cost of running the 1965 Powell River Queen is greater than the revenues created by multiple daily overloads and requires the fare increases that have occured and are approved for future.
Done ranting now.... thanks for reading...
The ferries were a part of the highays system originally; that's why the pictures of the Quadra Queen II and the Tachek in the Landing show them construction yellow and white (Dept of highways before they privatized too!). At one time not that long ago the ferries were free as they were considered part of the highway network. It is well past time that these essential services be reconized as such and the attitude of ferries being a frivilous waste of money be stomped. Talking to some non-islander's the opinion of "if they want to live there they should pay the price" seems to be shockingly common. So if I moved here less than 10 years ago when ferry fare was the same price for a car as it is for a person now it's just too bad for me? I have to move because the SoCreds privatized and now I have to pay for the BC Ferries FastCat fiasco?
Further to re-recognizing them as part of the highway system; I say each run should be finacially audited independent of others and made public to the community. An increase, if any, should be justified only against the cost vs revenues of that run and not a reflection of the management of the entire BC Ferries Corp as a whole or the poor management of any particular run. I have a hard time believing that the cost of running the 1965 Powell River Queen is greater than the revenues created by multiple daily overloads and requires the fare increases that have occured and are approved for future.
Done ranting now.... thanks for reading...