Protests mount over increasing ferry prices

"We support a return of B.C. Ferries to a Crown Corporation model that realizes the importance of ferries as an essential service,"-- NDP MLA Gary Coons, outlining his desire to see BC Ferries placed closer to governmental oversight through a Crown Corporation setup.

Last week residents of numerous communities of coastal BC launched what they hope will be a wave of protest over BC Ferries plans to increase the cost of travelling on the coastal waters of the province.

Called "Rock the Boat", protests were planned for Friday to let the Ferry Corporation and the provincial government know that the cost of coastal transportation is becoming a major issue for many of the provinces residents, dependant on the ferry system for much of their day to day living.

North Coast MLA Gary Coons has been instrumental in raising the ferry concerns in the Legislature in the past session and has been calling for the the system to return to a Crown Corporation model, one that will be more responsive to the needs of rural residents of the province.

The Daily News featured some background on the "Rock the Boat" campaign on Friday.

Communities protest ferry hikes

North Coast MLA attending gatherings against rising fares
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, July 04, 2008

Pages one and three

While North Coast MLA Gary Coons will be helping rock the boat on the South Coast today, his thoughts will be with those on the Queen Charlotte Islands also taking part in protests against rising fares on B.C. Ferries.

Rock the Boat protests are taking place today on Denman and Hornby Islands on the South Coast as well as in Alliford Bay and Skidegate on the Queen Charlotte Islands.

"I want to ensure all those concerned about our marine highway that I and Carole James realize that the social and economic contract with coastal communities has been broken by Gordon Campbell and this Liberal government," said Coons.

Ferry fares have continued to rise as B.C. Ferries has sought fuel surcharges to compensate for rising oil prices, as well as annual fare increases.

On the Queen Charlotte Islands, ferry users have seen prices increase by 11 per cent so far this year. Between 2003 and 2011, the tally for ferry increases is expected to hit triple digits, hitting home especially hard for those who use B.C. Ferries as part of their highway system.
People on the Queen Charlotte Islands, for example, have to use the ferry system to access medical services in Prince Rupert.

B.C. Ferries revealed on June 5 that another fare increase will be made due to a rise in fuel prices.

As of April, the government created a new rule that allows B.C. Ferries to increase fuel surcharges without seeking approval, and gives the company four opportunities each year on which it can increase the fuel surcharge.

"We support a return of B.C. Ferries to a Crown Corporation model that realizes the importance of ferries as an essential service," said the North Coast MLA.

"We have been pushing for a moratorium on any fare increase until we have a special legislative committee to review the Coastal Ferry Act and a strategy is developed," said Coons.

Earlier this year the NDP introduced a bill called The Fair Ferries Act to ensure the public interest is looked after when determining fare increases, to open B.C. Ferries to Freedom of Information requests and to be scrutinized in the Legislature and to stop pay hikes for B.C. Ferries' board of directors.

"We will ensure that government subsidies are at a level to maintain a reliable, affordable and safe ferry service. We must; to ensure the economic viability of ferry-dependent communities," said Coons. "Although we cannot commit to rolling back fares until we have full access to the finances of B.C. Ferries, we understand that our ferries cannot be privatized and must be affordable."

Petitions against increasing ferry fares delivered in Victoria

North Coast MLA Gary Coons has presented a petition from the Queen Charlotte Islands with almost 1,000 names expressing their concern over the rising speed of ferry rate increases and calling for a freeze on them.

It followed similar petitions from residents of Quadra and Salt Spring Islands, who also are concerned with BC Ferries lack of attention to their concerns and requests.

The Daily News provided some background on the petitions in Friday’s paper.

Ferry users hope to change tide
Ferry dependent towns want the government to reduce rising ticket cost
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, March 07, 2008
Page one

North Coast MLA Gary Coons took the concerns of people who rely on BC Ferries into the legislature earlier this week, presenting a petition with close to 1,000 names on it from Queen Charlotte Island residents who want a freeze on ferry fares.

"The fact that so many of the electorate wants a moratorium on ferry fare increases shows how dissatisfied people are with the present regime," said Coons.

"Fares are sky-rocketing for what is part of our highway system. My constituents are facing real difficulties by this government's arrogant approach to our ferries. Continued fare increases are killing our coastal communities."

Earlier in the day, a petition from residents of Salt Spring Island was tabled, and yesterday, a similar petition from Quadra Island was presented.

"The Minister of Transportation will have to be showing incredible arrogance if he chooses to ignore the thousands of voices who want our ferries to be treated as part of our marine highway which they have been for years," he said.

More than 80 per cent of residents of Quadra Island signed a petition to freeze ferry fares and review the Coastal Ferry Act. Frustrated business leaders and community members rode the ferry to Victoria this week, where they delivered their petition to Claire Trevena, MLA for North Island, and held a protest.

Fares on the Quadra Island-to-Campbell River route are projected to have increased by more than 120 per cent from 2003 to 2011. Fares already increased 75 per cent between 2003 and 2007, driving up the cost of food on the island, and making it increasingly difficult for small communities to keep their character.

Early in the spring session Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon responded to questions about ferry fare increases with dismissal, saying "boo hoo" when it was suggested that higher fares were hurting families in ferry-dependent communities.

"I think that 'boo hoo' was the most honest answer I've ever heard from this government," said Coons. "It's clear from the way the Campbell Liberals consistently dismiss the concerns of anyone outside the vote-rich Lower Mainland that they don't care about the challenges facing British Columbia's other communities."

Turbulent waves at Public session on ferries

It probably was a case of preaching to the converted but last weeks public forum on ferry usage in British Columbia was well received by some very angry north coast residents.

MLA Gary Coons brought his traveling forum to Prince Rupert last Wednesday, allowing local residents to express their concerns and in many cases indignation at the state of the ferries and the government’s hands off attitude to an important coastal resource.

The Daily News highlighted some of the commentary in its front page story in Monday’s paper.

FERRY USERS ANGRY AS COST OF GETTING AROUND SPIRALS UP

By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Monday, January 21, 2008

Pages one and three

The discrimination against rural ferry-dependent communities that have a "marine highway" was the key focus of a meeting in Prince Rupert Wednesday evening.

About 40 people attended the 'Fight Ferry Fares' meeting hosted by North Coast MLA Gary Coons. Coons has been touring rural communities gathering comments on the failure of the marine highway system for the past month.

"The major concern was the fairness and equity to those on minor routes versus the major routes," said Coons.

B.C. Ferries was privatized under Bill 18, the Coastal Ferry Act, by the Liberals in 2001.
The bill cut up the marine highway system and segregated the major routes from the minor routes.

It was decided that major routes, or non-subsidized routes, would no longer be allowed to subsidize minor routes. Now, minor routes are facing a user-pay system in order to reduce the contributions being made by the provincial government, without any reference to the impacts this decision might have on rural communities, which produce much of the province's economic activities.

"We need to be on the same equity level as the other routes, a 'highway equivalency' should be looked at," said Coons.

Those at the meeting reflected the concern expressed last year by the directors of the Skeena Queen Charlotte Regional District, that new ships and terminal improvements are necessary but the costs are being borne by routes and are a real hit to smaller communities.

Coons said it angers people when they compare the vital ferry system to the support received by other forms of provincial transportation, such as highways and public transit.

"Ferries must be recognized as our Marine Highway and be in the same light as other Transportation projects with appropriate funding," said Coons.

"We all pay for the road to Whistler, the bridge infrastructure in Vancouver and Kelowna. Vessels and major upgrades need to be born by all British Columbians."

Recent fuel surcharges have also been higher on rural routes and the only watchdog for the ferry system, the B.C. Ferry Commissioner, is only responsible for the financial sustainability of the corporation, not the public's interest.

Given that the Coastal Ferry Act was introduced with minimal public consultation and minimal debate in the legislature all in less than 24 hours, people at the meeting said it is time to amend the legislation to include public consultation with those that rely and depend on ferries.

"Residents and businesses in ferry-dependent communities contribute to public transportation through gas taxes, sales taxes, rural provincial property taxes, income taxes and regional district transit levies," said Coons.

"They expect fair and equitable treatment and their government to support their transportation needs as it supports public transportation needs throughout the province."

Increases to ferry rates raising ire of rural residents and their MLA

"I taught Grade 12 math and I still have a tough time explaining this formula to people,"--North Coast MLA Gary Coons, explaining how he has troubles explaining the latest fare increases to coastal residents from BC Ferries.

Gary Coons spent the last week on the Queen Charlotte Islands and has just wrapped up the first phase of his information gathering sessions with rural British Columbians. People who are dependent on ferry services and he says people that they are having a hard time understanding the rocketing rise of fares on the rural routes.

With changes to the Coastal Ferries Act that privatized BC Ferries the ability to increase the fares by such high margins is legal, but certainly not well explained by the Ferry Corporation or accepted by the residents of those communities that are the hardest hit.

Prince Rupert residents can add their voices and comments to the mix on January 16, when Coons holds an information session in the city.,

In Friday's Daily News, Coons explained the results of his meetings and the outrage that coastal residents have for the increases.

'Stratospheric' fare hikes anger Coons
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, December 21, 2007
Pages one and three

Having visited more than 15 ferry-dependent communities across the province in the last month, North Coast MLA Gary Coons is dismayed by stories he has heard of residents struggling to absorb increases on pre-paid fares, some as high as 11 per cent.

And just how B.C. Ferries is able to increase its fares by that much, many people are having a hard time understanding. But under the Coastal Ferry Act that privatized B.C. Ferries, it's all legal.

"These stratospheric increases are seriously impacting communities," said Coons. "An increase of 4.4 per cent a year is bad enough, but for communities like Sandspit and Skidegate, which don't have a robust economy to begin with, the continuation of these yearly 11 per cent fair hikes would be absolutely crippling."

Coons spent the past week visiting communities on the Queen Charlotte Islands, where residents use the ferry system not only to travel to and from the mainland but between communities on Moresby and Graham Islands via Skidegate and Alliford Bay.

It's part of a tour of all coastal ferry-dependent communities. Stops in the new year include Prince Rupert on Jan. 16, the Central Coast on Jan. 24, and Port McNeil, Sointula and Alert Bay on Jan. 30-31.

Many of these communities are dependent on the ferry system for their food, so even if residents choose to remain on-island, they are still being hit by higher prices at the grocery store, noted Coons.

"The ferry system was built using taxes paid by British Columbians; it is entirely inappropriate for our marine highway to be unaffordable for most citizens of this province."

Coons also echoed the concerns he heard from several members of the Ferry Advisory Committee, who believe that next April's fares will rise above the commissioner's allowance of four per cent and prepaid fare increases will also be in the double-digits.

He said BC Ferries has been using misleading numbers to mask the true magnitude of its fare increases. Out of 90 fare classifications, only three fall at or under the allowable 4.4 per cent increase.

The deception is especially clear when it comes to pre-paid fares, which are used primarily by island residents on minor routes, he said. These have seen the sharpest increases.

"I taught Grade 12 math and I still have a tough time explaining this formula to people," said Coons.

In fact, it's so complicated the B.C. Ferry Commission recently had to hold a seminar for chairs of the Ferry Advisory Committees to explain how it is that some routes are seeing fare increases of 11 per cent on prepaid fares.

The commission regulates ferry fare levels on 25 routes operated by BC Ferries and these routes are divided into seven groups.

Every three months, BC Ferries must report to the commission the actual average level of fares paid by its customers, reporting a single figure for each of the seven route groups. The figure is a weighted average for all the routes in the group, combining all the different traffic types, the different times of the week, different fares charged in that quarter, and other variables.

Secondly, the commission computes a maximum permitted level of average ferry fares for each route group. This ceiling is called the price cap for each group.

On routes outside the Lower Mainland, that price cap is currently 4.4 per cent.

According to the commission, BC Ferries must not allow the index of actual ferry fares for a route group to rise above the index of its price cap for more than one consecutive quarter.
However, within its fares structure, BC Ferries is allowed to charge different amounts for prepaid fares, weekend fares and other categories.

Coons explained BC Ferries has been losing business on full cash fares and while regular travellers in ferry dependent communities have been buying prepaid tickets that offer about a 30 per cent discount.

As a result, BC Ferries' average fare has been less than the maximum allowed average fare in recent years.

Now, B.C. Ferries is going to play catch up and it will come in the form of increases, for example in the range of 8.8 to 10.5 per cent on prepaid fares on the Skidegate-to-Alliford Bay route.
It is another example of how the Coastal Ferry Act is clearly failing the people of the province, said Coons.

"We need to freeze fares now," said Coons. "Until a Ferry Dependent Communities Strategy can be created to ensure the long-term viability of ferry routes to remote communities."

Seeking input against the “unfair” fares of BC Ferries

The MLA for the North Coast and NDP critic for Ferries and Ports, is most likely preaching to the converted as he visits isolated communities dependant on the BC Ferry service and once again facing yet another fare hike for their life line to the rest of the province.

Gary Coons, just finished making a tour of mid Vancouver Island communities, holding public forums as part of his quest to return the Ferry Corporation back to its roots of service to the people of the province. Coons considers the ferry service to be an extension of the province’s highway system and believes that it should reflect that status as far as service and funding goes. It's from that viewpoint that he is approaching his public meetings, which have found a willing and enthusiastic audience in attendance so far.

We suspect the public wouldn’t accept frequent increases for the privilege of driving along the highways of the province, so the question is if the ferries are like the highways should they not be treated the same as the paved ribbons that connect the province in all directions.

It’s a question that perhaps will be part of the feedback that Coons receives in his public sessions, he next has the Queen Charlottes on his travel agenda with sessions on Haida Gwai scheduled from December 10 to 12.

The Prince Rupert session will take place on January 16.

The Daily News provided some background on his latest efforts as part of the Wednesday paper.

FERRY USERS LEFT HIGH AND DRY: COONS
North Coast MLA urging communities to share fears about fare impacts
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, December 5. 2007
Pages one and two

North Coast MLA Gary Coons toured ferry-dependent communities this past weekend holding forums about the impact skyrocketing fare increases is having on families, individuals and businesses.

Despite the difficult weather, he visited Courtenay, Denman Island, Hornby Island and Gabriola Island on his campaign to fight "unfair" fares.

Despite more than 30 centimetres of snow, Coons said the turnout at the meetings was excellent. (Trips to Chemanus and Salt Spring have been postponed until weather improves.)
Next weekend, Coons will travel to Gibsons, Powell River, Bowen Island, Galiano, Mayne and Pender Islands with trips on the North Coast scheduled for the New Year.

"I don't think B.C. Ferries or the provincial government is listening to the people who depend on reliable, safe and affordable ferry service," said Coons. "Since the restructuring of B.C. Ferries, ferry-dependent communities have been forced to shoulder ever increasing costs."

Coons, who is the New Democrat Critic for Ferries and Ports, will be visiting the Queen Charlotte Islands communities of Masset, Port Clements, Queen Charlotte, and Sandspit on Dec. 10, 11, and 12 as part of the tour.

He is scheduled to hold meetings in Prince Rupert Jan. 16, the Central Coast on Jan 24, and Port McNeil, Sointula and Alert Bay on Jan 30-31.

"It is important for people in ferry-dependent communities to have a chance to tell their side of the restructuring story," said Coons. "B.C. Ferries was built with tax dollars to serve the people of British Columbia. The ferries are part of our highway system, and they need to be priced affordably, so that all British Columbians can benefit from them."

For example, on the Queen Charlotte Islands, the cost of crossing between Graham and Moresby Island via Alliford Bay in April 2003 - was $10.60 for two people and a vehicle. Four years later, the price now sits at $17.30 and by April 2011, it is forecasted to reach $22.88, an increase of 116 per cent.

Coons, who feels the fare increases are unacceptable for those who use the ferry system as part of their highway, put forward a motion in the legislature in November calling on the provincial government to freeze fares at their current levels until a "Ferry Dependent Communities Strategy" can be created to ensure the long-term viability of ferry routes to remote communities and the viability of those communities.

On Mon., Dec. 10 in Masset, the meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Electric Moon restaurant. On Tues., Dec. 11 in Port Clements there will be a meeting from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Golden Spruce. In Tlell from noon until 2 p.m. at the Rising Tides bakery and in the village of Queen Charlotte from 6 to 8 p.m. in the council chambers.

Then on Wed., Dec. 11, there will be a meeting in Sandspit from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Airport Inn Restaurant.