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Officials ask minister to abandon user pay
High ferry fares lead to economic decline, according to elected representatives
by Laura Walz | editor@prpeak.com
Two Powell River elected officials feel a provincial cabinet minister was interested in their concerns about ferry service in coastal communities.
Both Colin Palmer, Powell River Regional District board chair, and Chris McNaughton, City of Powell River councillor and a city director on the regional board, felt Shirley Bond, minister of transportation and infrastructure, was receptive to their comments during an hour-long meeting in Victoria on October 5.
“She said on more than one occasion, why would BC Ferries do that? It doesn’t make any sense,” Palmer reported. “In the end, we are prepared to enter into further meaningful discussions on future policy making. She’s going to get back to us.”
Palmer had prepared a four-page brief, in conjunction with the city and Tla’Amin (Sliammon) First Nation, that outlined the major issues in the community. The document listed recommendations as long-term solutions to stave off economic decline and to maintain the viability of BC Ferries. It asked the government to “abandon the legislated requirement for an increased user pay system,” among other suggestions.
Bond was clear that she supports user pay, Palmer said, but he got the impression that she realized user pay could only go so far without breaking the system.
Doug Skinner, a School District 47 Board of Education trustee, also attended the meeting. He pointed out that some school districts get free travel on the ferry if they’re going to a provincial tournament, but Powell River doesn’t and he talked about the high cost for youth and their families to travel for sport events.
Bond is waiting for the comptroller-general’s report about how well BC Ferries is operating, Palmer said. “She said that was a very large factor in how she was going to move from here on in,” he said.
Bond was also interested in some of the little things that are involved with ferries, Palmer added. For example, she was interested in how Powell River residents pay the ferry fare in Powell River, but don’t have preferred loading at Langdale. “I was surprised. I didn’t realize she’d be interested in that kind of thing,” said Palmer.
McNaughton said he thinks some of the interest is particularly sharp because of the review. “It helps them to hear other little things that maybe they normally wouldn’t hear,” he said.
McNaughton raised the issue of competitive disadvantage in terms of tourism and mitigating the high cost of travelling on the ferry system. “We talked quite a bit about the economic impacts,” he said. “She was very in tune with the kind of comments and conversation we were having.” More than once Bond commented on similarities with issues in her Prince George riding.
They pointed out to Bond that there were other ministries spending money on programs to develop rural areas, Palmer said, but “the ferry system is killing the economy, so why are they wasting their money?”
McNaughton said he talked about having a SWAT team of government officials that would come in and “talk with us and identify opportunities. How can we work together and not be poking in one ministry at a time trying to get information? She felt that was appropriate, as long as it didn’t become a Royal Commission, she said I think three times.”
Bond asked her staff to look into a number of the recommendations, including the level of federal support on the west coast compared to the east coast. Palmer and McNaughton asked for the September 30, 2005 Northern Sunshine Coast strategy report, but Bond made it very clear that’s not a public document.
“We went to get this to the political level,” Palmer said. “I don’t think we wasted anyone’s time or money. I think it was useful.”
Both Colin Palmer, Powell River Regional District board chair, and Chris McNaughton, City of Powell River councillor and a city director on the regional board, felt Shirley Bond, minister of transportation and infrastructure, was receptive to their comments during an hour-long meeting in Victoria on October 5.
“She said on more than one occasion, why would BC Ferries do that? It doesn’t make any sense,” Palmer reported. “In the end, we are prepared to enter into further meaningful discussions on future policy making. She’s going to get back to us.”
Palmer had prepared a four-page brief, in conjunction with the city and Tla’Amin (Sliammon) First Nation, that outlined the major issues in the community. The document listed recommendations as long-term solutions to stave off economic decline and to maintain the viability of BC Ferries. It asked the government to “abandon the legislated requirement for an increased user pay system,” among other suggestions.
Bond was clear that she supports user pay, Palmer said, but he got the impression that she realized user pay could only go so far without breaking the system.
Doug Skinner, a School District 47 Board of Education trustee, also attended the meeting. He pointed out that some school districts get free travel on the ferry if they’re going to a provincial tournament, but Powell River doesn’t and he talked about the high cost for youth and their families to travel for sport events.
Bond is waiting for the comptroller-general’s report about how well BC Ferries is operating, Palmer said. “She said that was a very large factor in how she was going to move from here on in,” he said.
Bond was also interested in some of the little things that are involved with ferries, Palmer added. For example, she was interested in how Powell River residents pay the ferry fare in Powell River, but don’t have preferred loading at Langdale. “I was surprised. I didn’t realize she’d be interested in that kind of thing,” said Palmer.
McNaughton said he thinks some of the interest is particularly sharp because of the review. “It helps them to hear other little things that maybe they normally wouldn’t hear,” he said.
McNaughton raised the issue of competitive disadvantage in terms of tourism and mitigating the high cost of travelling on the ferry system. “We talked quite a bit about the economic impacts,” he said. “She was very in tune with the kind of comments and conversation we were having.” More than once Bond commented on similarities with issues in her Prince George riding.
They pointed out to Bond that there were other ministries spending money on programs to develop rural areas, Palmer said, but “the ferry system is killing the economy, so why are they wasting their money?”
McNaughton said he talked about having a SWAT team of government officials that would come in and “talk with us and identify opportunities. How can we work together and not be poking in one ministry at a time trying to get information? She felt that was appropriate, as long as it didn’t become a Royal Commission, she said I think three times.”
Bond asked her staff to look into a number of the recommendations, including the level of federal support on the west coast compared to the east coast. Palmer and McNaughton asked for the September 30, 2005 Northern Sunshine Coast strategy report, but Bond made it very clear that’s not a public document.
“We went to get this to the political level,” Palmer said. “I don’t think we wasted anyone’s time or money. I think it was useful.”
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| Quick Peaks: October 28, 2009 | Community members generate guidance |
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