Sunshine Coast residents will have a chance to offer their thoughts on a fixed link starting next week.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) has confirmed the dates for a series of open houses, as well as the launch of a special website to share information and take input online.
The public consultation is a follow-up to a series of invitation-only meetings held over the summer by West Vancouver - Sea to Sky MLA Jordan Sturdy with local governments, First Nations and other stakeholders.
The first of the open houses will be on the Sea to Sky side of Howe Sound on Oct. 18 in Squamish and Oct. 20 in West Vancouver. A third will be held Oct. 25 in Powell River.
Two sessions are scheduled for the Sunshine Coast: Oct. 26 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Seaside Centre in Sechelt, and Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Gibsons Garden Hotel in Gibsons.
The province awarded R. F. Binnie and Associates a $250,000 consulting contract to look into several fixed link options.
According to the MOTI release announcing the open houses, “A number of potential connections between the Sunshine Coast and Lower Mainland are being explored. Concepts range from a highway link around Jervis Inlet to direct bridge connections along the coast. The costs and benefits of each potential connection will be assessed and will be compared with existing ferry services.”
Representatives from MOTI and R.F. Binnie will be on hand at the open houses to answer questions and provide details about the feasibility study.
The website www.gov.bc.ca/sunshinecoastfixedlink went live Thursday afternoon, and the online comment period will run from Oct. 18 to Nov. 8.
The completed Sunshine Coast Fixed Link Feasibility Study is expected before the end of the year.
