Premier John Horgan has released mandate letters for his cabinet and one of the tasks he’s set for Transportation Minister Claire Trevena is to “work with BC Ferries to freeze and reduce fares, and reinstate the seniors’ weekday 100 per cent discount, while conducting a comprehensive operating review.”
Trevena has already said publicly that residents of coastal B.C. can expect a 15 per cent fare reduction on the minor routes, a freeze on the major routes, as well as the return of free weekday travel for seniors in the next few weeks.
BC Ferries often refers to the Langdale-Horseshoe Bay run as one of the major routes, but Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons said this week that it’s definitely getting a fare reduction.
“It’s going to happen, it’s just a question of timing,” he said. “The only ones that are not included in the rollback are the three main routes [to Vancouver Island]… All four routes in our riding will see a reduction of 15 per cent.”
The current fare between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale, before Experience Card discounts, is $54 for standard-size vehicles and $16.50 for adult passengers.
After the 15 per cent reduction, the vehicle fare would drop to $45.90 and the adult passenger fare to about $14. The Experience Card discount would continue to be applied to the base fare.
Horgan is expected to call MLAs back to the legislature in September.
Other changes coming to the Langdale route could include reconfigured pay parking. The parking lot has been at capacity several times this summer.
During the July 20 meeting of the Sunshine Coast Regional District transportation committee meeting, Laurella Hay, alternate director for Area E, called for action. “Something has to be done so there is adequate parking for foot passengers, and you can’t wait until the summer’s over – it needs to be addressed now.”
BC Ferries’ terminal manager, Robert Edwards, replied that the company is taking some steps right away, including looking at ways to create as many as 50 extra spots by the end of the month.
“The other thing is, we are employing a full-time parking liaison for the rest of the summer to assist people with [finding] empty spots along the edges [of the existing parking area],” he said.
BC Ferries is still looking at the feedback from its one-week trial of loading foot passengers and cyclists after vehicles on the Langdale side. Spokesman Darin Guenette said a decision on whether to make the change permanent will be made soon. In the meantime, crews have gone back to the usual system of letting the cyclists and foot passengers on the ferry first.
