Vaughn Palmer has a story on the proposed ferry rate increase from BC Ferries, unless the politicians step in with subsidies, Northern ferry users (that be us) could face increases of 26 per cent every year for four years which would mean your current fare could double by 2015.
communities.canada.com/vancouver … eases.aspx
Imagine that might have some kind of impact on tourism, let alone on the travel requirements of folks on the north coast eh
My Dad says that if it goes up 26% per year, it will double in 3 years. And at 4 years it will be at two and a half times the original fare. Math is hard!
Math is Hard!
I have no problem subsidizing BC Ferries for places like the Prince Rupert to Haida Gwaii run, as that is their only option for driving. But to go to Vancouver Island, you can always drive. Prince Rupert to Port Hardy is not an essential service. Sure it’s not as convenient, but it’s an option. No different than paying extra to take the Coquihalla and cut some time off your drive (up until a couple of years ago anyway).
You can drive to Vancouver Island?? That is awesome I never knew. I guess it is not essential because otherwise people from Rupert would have to drive to Vancouver to take the imaginary bridge to Victoria. Are you working in a contact cement factory with no mask? I recommend one.
LOL @ Drive to the Island… Unless you fly we are of course stuck with BC Ferries either way we go the the Island.
In Eastern Canada Ferry services are more heavily subsidized, and that is the way it should be The ferry service IS A PUBLIC HIGHWAY, so why are we being held hostage to outrageous increases?
How about instead of Nathan Cullen subsidizing the people on the QCIslands/HG they subsidize the ferries.
The issue is that Urban BC doesn’t get where the wealth of the province is generated. In order to generate wealth, they and the politicians they elect need to get it through their head that things like Ferry service is in fact an essential infrastructure for coastal communities.
If we want to talk about subsidies we should back all the way up and realize that it’s Rural BC that is subsidizing the lifestyle of the Urban dwellers in BC. These increases wouldn’t be tolerated if we were to apply the same break even logic on mass transit in the lower mainland. The howls that would be heard would topple the government that tried to put through such a wrong headed plan even using the bullshit proxy of a crown corporation to deflect where the decisions are coming from.
So you’re advocating a ferry to Fort Nelson ?
Not at all . Councillor Doug Roper (Fort Nelson, BC) says that Fort Nelson like much of rural BC is concerned with Lack of maternity services in town and Doctor recruitment.
A fine example of what privatizing does to a Crown Corporation and how badly we, the people are paying for it in the long run.