In a bid to reduce the pressure of ferry fares, the province has announced an additional $79.5 million in funding to BC Ferries over four years plus changes to the Coastal Ferry Act.
According to the government, the amendments to the act would give the BC Ferry Commissioner Gordon Macatee more flexibility to determine the amount of revenue needed to sustain operations. It would also give the commissioner additional responsibility to oversee the costs of providing ferry services.
The government is introducing these changes in response to the commissioner’s January review.
“The legislation introduced [May 9] builds on the BC Ferry Commissioner’s report and the concerns that the public have expressed about the affordability of BC Ferries,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Blair Lekstrom.
“We are following a three-pronged approach balancing the interests of ferry users, taxpayers and the ferry operator.”
The government has also stated that, besides the new funding and legislative changes:
- BC Ferries will need to find efficiencies to reduce operating costs; and
- there will be significant adjustments to service levels and discussions with communities about trade-offs among service adjustments, fare increases and potential community contributions.
