WHEREAS the Union of BC Municipalities UBCM has requested that the Province abandon any plans to increase fares andor reduce core ferry service levels, as such actions would have irreparable negative impacts on the economic well-being of Coastal British Columbia; AND WHEREAS the UBCM has called on the Province to implement legislation that recognizes our coastal ferry services as essential extensions of our public highway system and ensures fiscal fairness between BCs terrestrial and marine highway systems; AND WHEREAS the UBCM has requested that the Province develop a ferry services strategy that supports the sustainability of island economies and the coastal ferry service; AND WHEREAS over the past year the Province has a failed to implement a ferry services strategy, b allowed the rapid escalation of ferry fares, and c begun to implement a plan to slash services to ferry dependent communities: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM continue to request the Province to: 1. Work co-operatively with coastal communities on implementing a long term strategy for the ferry system that supports the strengthening and sustainability of island economies and the coastal ferry service; 2. Implement legislation that recognizes the ferry system as an extension of our highway system and ensures fiscal fairness between the marine and terrestrial components of our highway system; and 3. Freeze ferry fares and service levels at 2013 levels until such time as the legislation and strategy are implemented.
Ministry of Transportation Infrastructure The Province knows how important it is to keep coastal ferry fares affordable and has taken significant measures to address this need. Following the Ferry Commissioners review of the Coastal Ferry Act, government amended the Act to help reduce the pressure on fares. The amendments give the Commissioner more flexibility to determine the amount of revenue needed to sustain operations and support ongoing investment, as well as additional responsibility to oversee the costs of providing the ferry service. As the UBCM Resolutions Committee notes, the Province has also committed an additional 79.5 in taxpayer funding and challenged BC Ferries to find an additional 15 million in efficiencies to 2016, over and above the 39 million already identified by the Ferry Commissioner. This year, taxpayers are expected to contribute over 200 million to support coastal ferries. Further, this government has committed to direct one-third of the Prosperity Fund, up to 1 billion, to support coastal ferries. While the Province supports the current coastal ferry model, government is actively looking for solutions that balance the needs of ferry users, taxpayers and the financial stability of our ferry system. The Province is committed to a vision of a ferry service that connects coastal communities in an affordable, efficient and sustainable manner. Last year, the Province conducted an extensive public consultation process to discuss the short-term challenges and strategies to achieve the long-term vision for coastal ferries. Forty meetings were held in 30 coastal communities, welcoming over 2,000 participants. As part of a larger strategy, service adjustments will be implemented to ensure the long-term sustainability of the ferry system. The Province will seek further public input this fall regarding these service changes and the long-term vision. The Province will continue to work with coastal and island communities to address the challenges facing the coastal ferry system.
BC Ferries I appreciate you sharing this information with me, and more importantly, Im encouraged to see that you have conveyed the resolution directly to the provincial government - since it is the government who has responsibility for defining minimum service levels for each of BC Ferries 25 routes, as well as the funding service fees for each of these routes. Under the terms of the Coastal Ferry Services Contract, BC Ferries is the service provider contractor and is tasked with providing the service required by the provincial government as safely, reliably and efficiently as possible on its 185,000 yearly sailings. I would close by saying that we do work closely with the provincial government and each of the communities we serve to optimize the required service, as well as developing a long-term strategy to ensure we all have a sustainable ferry system well into the future.