Pressure On to Restore Northern BC Ferries Routes
Prince George, B.C.- The Regional District of Fraser Fort George is on board when it comes to opposing planned BC Ferries route reductions along the north coast.
Communities all along Highways 16 and 97 will feel the impact of reductions in sailings on Route 10 (Inside Passage route) and Route 11 (Haida Gwaii) concludes a report developed by Prince Rupert.
Entitled “Beyond Hope, BC Ferries and Northern British Columbia”, the report says the proposals put forward to reduce sailings of routes #10 and #11 are not well thought out, “There appears to be no business case for these cuts. There has been no review of economic or social impacts with regard to lost jobs, lost accessibility, and indeed lost municipal or provincial taxation and revenue as a result of the cuts.”
According to the report, reducing the Inside Passage route #10 by 39 round trips (32%) and the Haida Gwaii route #11 by 52 round trips (27%) will have not only an impact on the communities where the ferries dock, but on those communities which form part of the circle route travelled by tourists.
“It is absolutely critical to understand that the visitor economy in northern BC is a symbiotic partnership of communities. Over half of Prince Rupert’s leisure travelers spent time in Prince George, and almost half of our leisure travelers reported spending time in Smithers and Vancouver Island communities” states the report.
The report has been unanimously supported by the North Central Local Government Association, as well as the Regional District of Fraser Fort George.
“The Province didn’t do it’s due diligence in the sense of the impact” says Regional District Director Dave Wilbur.
The Regional District Board of Directors unanimously supports writing a letter to the Provincial Government asking for two points of action:
- Request the Province reconsider the cuts on the northern coastal routes
- Do a full impact study so the consequences are more fully appreciated
The report says international travel agencies book trips long in advance, and the short notice of the planned service reductions will catch many international travelers off guard.
The report concludes the actions by BC Ferries has created an “Unnecessary crisis that threatens serious and widespread damage to the northern BC economy.”
Saying the full economic benefit of BC Ferries is not fully understood, the report calls for the following action:
- Service cuts be postponed until 2015
- A comprehensive economic impact and assessment , fully studying the direct and indirect benefits of northern ferry routes throughout the provincial economy be undertaken immediately to guide future changes to BC Ferry service.
- The user cost of BC Ferries must be reviewed, and if fares not reduced, then at the very least, frozen for the foreseeable future,
- Efforts to brand and market BC Ferries northern routes be all be stepped up and see higher investment to increase ridership.
Comments
We need some numbers from BC Ferries as to the actual number of people per sailing on these Ferries,.
Some reductions might be in order if the Ferries are not being fully utilized, however if they are, then, that is a different situation all together.
This Ferry service is much like the service we get on our Highways, ie; 16 West, Hart Highway,. Because of the low population in the North we get the dregs from the Provincial Budget, while at the same time the Greater Vancouver area, and the South Okanagan get all the money for their fancy bridges, roads, free ways, transit trains, etc;
We need a more equitable distribution of tax dollars, so that the Interior of the Province and the Coast Municipalities do not continue to be treated like second class citizens.
Its not that the Government doesn’t have the money, its that they want to spend it in areas that will give them the best press.
You mean the most votes.
A savings of 10% in every department, including salaries and related perks (start from the top down where the greatest savings can be realized without too much pain) would save more than enough money to keep the route going. Core review required?
The reason more people don’t travel the ferry to Haida Gwaii are the prohibit cost and the lack of sailings. Cutting sailings and raising fares are exactly the opposite of what they should be doing if they want that route to be successful.
BC Ferries is a prime example of a typical government institution/body; bloated, over weight from the hips (middle management) upward, the top (head, or C.E.O.) is fatted, and cannot see the lower extremities (toes, or blue collar workers) Their only conception of how to cut back on their annual losses is to reduce service. How truly revolutionary would it be if they suddenly realized that they need to trim some fat off at the top of the body?
These governmental bodies bleat that they must pay top wages/salaries/perks/benefits to retain the best people at the helm in order to operate at peak efficiency, yet those so called business leaders cannot see the ocean for the waves.
What this all demonstrates is that oldest of traits in human survival; ME first.
metalman.
Sure. Cut service, reduce expenditures, meet those targets and the fat cats at the top receive huge bonuses.
Bonuses are supposed to be for extra ordinary positive results – results beyond expectations! Not for below standard and worse than expected outcomes which require elimination of vital services, leaving whole communities and the tourism industry on the ropes. The 28 page report makes an irrefutable case for a reversal of the management decision.
Base salaries and benefits are already more than comfortable. Bonuses should be earned and not paid as a matter of annual standard procedure irregardless of performance.
nobody wants to take a ferry to Haida Gwaii when it’s gonna cost 4oo bucks with one way.
sorry my bad Just over 400 bucks round trip with driver only
All government agencies are fat with people making 100+. Some of these people job is purely to have an eye downward and report up. Any more than one layer of that is enough. Have they never played the game pass it on?
If they had they would soon realize that to many of those positions just convolute what actually needs to be done on the ground to achieve a goal.
I was going to take the Bella Coola to Port Hardy route last summer, but it was like I think $1200 and it only sailed at night. These guys at BC Ferries couldn’t give a hoot about tourism. If they want to get the ridership up at least give some value to the rider by having sailing during day light hours.
If I’m going to pay through the teeth to sail BC Ferries, then they at least should have some daytime sailing so one can enjoy the scenery and take some pictures of the coast.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undersea_tunnel
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