The vice-president of mainland services with B.C. Ferry Services delivered a presentation highlighting the company's first year of operations to members of the business community who gathered at The Club in Gibsons on Thursday.
David Marshall began his presentation, entitled Going Forward With Stability, by saying B.C. Ferry Services is undergoing many changes as it nears its first anniversary.
"In a nutshell, we are looking to grow the business," Marshall said. "A year ago B.C. Ferries was losing money. It was a billion dollars in debt."
According to Marshall, there was no indication that the trend would be reversed, and a billion dollars was needed to modernize the ferry system. He said the degree of political inference was extraordinary, which prevented B.C. Ferries from making sound business decisions. "A public-run ferry service doesn't have enough resources," Marshall said. "We were competing for funding with schools and health care."
The Coastal Ferry Act was brought into effect April 1, 2003, at which time B.C. Ferries was transformed from a Crown corporation into an independent, commercial organization under the Company Act. The contract between the Province of British Columbia and B.C. Ferries is a binding, 60-year agreement, which is subject to a service review every four years.
"The 60-year contract allows us to go to private markets and secure the assets we need," Marshall said. "We are able to attract funding based on our stability."
B.C. Ferry Services has one of the largest and oldest ferry fleets in the world. Three ships have to be replaced by 2010, as they will no longer be eligible for re-certification. The company is currently looking to acquire 22 vessels in the next 15 years. "We have short-listed a number of shipyards that we will be submitting proposals to," Marshall said. Some of the existing vessels are scheduled to undergo major renovations during the next couple of years. The Queen of Oak Bay, which is currently in service on the Horseshoe Bay - Langdale route, is next in line for refurbishing."We are looking at swapping the Queen of Surrey and the Queen of Oak Bay around after Oak Bay is done its renovations," Marshall said. The Surrey is scheduled to come back from its annual refit on March 31, at which time its food and beverage services will include a selection of items from Bread Garden. The number of vehicle reservations was recently upped and now allows for 68 of the 340 available spaces to be reserved. Marshall also highlighted some of the other changes in store for the Horseshoe Bay - Langdale route.
"In the near future we would like to add an additional vehicle booth at Langdale and replace the mid- and upper-lot washrooms," Marshall said. "Our master plan includes the construction of an overhead passenger walkway at berth one, the double decking of berth two, new administrative offices, improved passenger amenities and improved traffic handling."
When asked if the company is considering charging a fee at the Langdale terminal, Marshall said there is no reason to right now, adding that it might be necessary if the route changed. He said the company is looking at the possibility of offering a ferry service directly from Langdale to Nanaimo. Gerry Tretick, chair of the Gibsons Economic Development Partnership, addressed the influence that B.C. Ferry Services has on the economy of the Sunshine Coast. "Vancouver is our third largest employer," Tretick said. "People who live here commute to Vancouver to earn a living. Young families can't make it and move away. We need to make efficient use of our ferry system. That's the issue."
Marshall ended the presentation by encouraging members of the public and the business community to participate in the master plan process for the Langdale terminal. "We are committed to public consultation," Marshall said.
