Editor:
With reference to the advertisement (on this page) with regards to B.C. Ferries fares, it might be useful to have the following background:
Student fares: a long time ago the B.C. government decided that students on our southern Sunshine Coast and those in Powell River are the only students in ferry dependent communities who have to pay for travel on "school based outings." Many parents find it difficult to pay ferry fares for their youngsters to play in team sports on the Lower Mainland. Therefore, the ferry advisory committee (FAC) has found a solution to minimize this impact. All our communities will make a small contribution by a 0.5 per cent increase in all ferry fares.
Commuters: there is a great concern that some commuters might move back to the mainland if their family life is disrupted by reaching their homes well after 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the summer months. Our 1,500 commuters are a very valuable asset to our communities, contributing some $50 million, after taxation, to our economy.
The burden of a 1.5 per cent increase on all fares is heavy, but our FAC feels it is worth a try. The results will be analyzed after the summer season to see if this arrangement is acceptable to the community and if it can be made permanent.
Our FAC is exploring all possible avenues to contain the cost of ferry travel. It is valuable for us to obtain public input, so we know the needs and expectations of our communities.
Jakob Knaus, chair, Southern S.C. FAC
