Soaring Ferry rates have MLA upset

Gary Coons is not happy with the latest developments from the BC Ferry Commission, which has issued a warning that increased rates are on the way.

The North Coast MLA is expressing his displeasure at a 4.4 per cent planned for the North in November, significantly more than the 2.8 per cent for the southern routes.

Long the NDP's official critic of all things concocted by BC Ferries, he has been particularly concerned about the restructuring of BC Ferries and the impact that it has had on the Northern routes in particular.

He expanded on his concerns in the Friday Daily News.

Ferry fare hikes infuriate Coons
By Christian Webber
The Daily News
Friday, August 03, 2007

Page one

The B.C. Ferry Commission this week warned ferry users to expect ferry fares to rise at nearly double the rate of inflation, and even more on some routes that depend on ferry services.

Gary Coons, the MLA for the North Coast and the New Democrats' ferries critic, said that in 2002 when the B.C. Liberals restructured BC Ferries, they promised stable fares and an independent commission that would protect ferry users.

He said five years later, ferry fares are soaring and ferry users are receiving an expensive education about the value of Gordon Campbell's promises.

Coons said fares are going to be skyrocketing. The minister responsible said that they are going to improve service, have stable fare rates, someone to protect the public interest, create economical development and job creation, all not true, said Coons.

"There is nobody looking after the public interest and there needs to be somebody," he said.
The Ferry Commissioner's number one priority is the financial sustainability of the BC Ferries corporation, said Coons.

"So that is his number one goal, to make sure that they make money. How can you look after the public interest and make sure these guys make money? You can't," said Coons.

What they are saying now is in November 2007 there will be a legislated increase of 2.8 percent for Down South and 4.4 percent for us.

And then in April they are starting into the next stage, where group 1 - the three major routes - will see an increase of 5.4 percent and groups 2 through 7, the minor routes will see a 3.6 percent increase.

"It's going to go up 3.6, they are going to go up 5.4 because they are going to charge them more and hit them big time," said Coons.

He said that new vessels are being payed for through fare increases, and ferry users are going to have to pay for three new vessels through those fare increases.

"Our fares are going to shoot up unless the government comes in and subsidizes it," said Coons.
Every April from now on, in route group 1,the fares will increase by 2 per cent plus the cost of living multiplied by 0.5. For us it will be 5.2 percent plus the cost of living multiplied by 0.73
"So, it's going to be going up probably nine or 10 per cent every year in 2009, 2010 and 2011 for the northern routes," said Coons, who said islands and other ferry dependent communities are seeing soaring fares threatening their livelihoods by increasing the cost of necessary goods, scaring off tourists and increasing isolation.

He said that the one thing he will be questioning is the Ferry Commissioner's comment in his annual report to the legislature, he said that fare caps will rise much more quickly than the consumer price index for the next four years.

"In the Ferry Commissioner's report, he said he has measured the quality of service as part of his report, I'm going to have to question him on his performance measures," said Coons.