With the ferry commissioner's annual report expected later this month, residents and officials on the Coast are gearing up to ensure the community's needs are addressed.
The new chief executive officer of BC Ferries, Mike Corrigan, recently told Coast Reporter that he recognizes the challenges faced by the Sunshine Coast and its residents, many of whom are frequent commuters to the Lower Mainland.
Local officials including Sechelt Mayor John Henderson, Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) chair Garry Nohr and Gibsons Mayor Wayne Rowe are expected to meet with the new ferries CEO sometime this month.
"Given the change of management at the ferry corporation, it certainly is an opportune time to attempt to establish a positive working relationship with that organization," Rowe said.
The Town of Gibsons, along with the SCRD, recently sent letters supporting recommendations made by the Southern Sunshine Coast Ferry Advisory Committee (SSCFAC) to Gord Macatee, the current BC Ferry commissioner.
Macatee's report, expected later this month, could have a direct impact on fare rates and other issues of concern surrounding a company whose new CEO has expressed a desire to combat rising fuel costs while expanding and maintaining services.
The SSCFAC's letters to Macatee discussed topics including the expansion of the Langdale terminal, rising fares and accessibility of services.
In one letter, the SSCFAC expressed a feeling that rising fares damaged the local economy of the Sunshine Coast, encouraging migration of residents to the Lower Mainland in order to avoid the challenges of living in a ferry-dependent community.
"While commuters tend to shift their residence to the Lower Mainland, other residents severely curtail discretionary travel and undermine the ability for families to stay connected," the SSCFAC wrote, repeatedly stressing that to Coastal residents, the ferries are equivalent to a highway.
In regards to cost efficiency, the group raised concern that BC Ferries might be taking a reactionary approach to dealing with current crises, rather than planning for the long-term.
"Considering the size of ferry capital expenditures, the long-term cost of insufficient long-term planning can dwarf the costs associated with developing the most appropriate and cost-effective future coastal ferry service model," one letter concludes.
The ferry commissioner's report is expected to be completed Jan. 24.
