Ferry users could be looking at doubled fares on smaller routes unless the province can spare a few million in the next five years, according to the CEO of BC Ferries.
Specifically, government would need to top up its yearly $150 million by $25 million, David Hahn said last week.
The 2003 台湾MM裸聊室 Ferry Act included regulation of fare hikes, subject to a cap set every four years by an independent B.C. Ferry Commission. The cap was renewed in 2008 and is set to expire in March 2012.
Hahn has submitted a request to the commission to raise rates between 2012 and 2016 by up to 26 per cent a year on northern routes, 14 per cent on minor routes and five per cent on major routes.
The ferry advisory committee chairs, who represent coastal communities, say fare increases are a realistic assessment of what will happen in the absence of additional government support or service reductions.
鈥淲e certainly knew that this challenge was coming up,鈥� FAC Hornby-Denman chair Tony Law said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e let the minister (Transportation Minister Shirley Bond) and her predecessor Kevin Falcon know over the last few years that this crunch was coming.鈥�
Along with fuel and other expenses, replacing aging vessels and terminals will be a costly venture. Cutting administrative costs, including Hahn鈥檚 million-dollar salary, will not make a significant difference to the overall picture, Law said, noting annual costs to run the ferry system are about $660 million.
Law foresees a squeeze on northern routes and smaller routes such as those serving destinations near the Comox Valley.
鈥淧re-paid fares have gone up 100 per cent since 2003. That鈥檚 10 times the rate of inflation,鈥� Law said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge hit for our communities.鈥�
A Hornby resident, Law said his community has lost 鈥渁 lot of day trippers鈥� who perhaps visit only once a year. 鈥淚t affects every aspect of life on the islands,鈥� he said.
While ferry ridership is generally down, Law said Hornby has maintained a number of 鈥渓oyal visitors,鈥� though they tend to spend less money these days.
鈥淎s fares have gone up, ridership has gone down, and of course that鈥檚 not a sustainable pattern,鈥� he said.
The FACC has 鈥渓ooked at efficiencies and innovations鈥� in a meeting with BC Ferries, the Transportation Ministry and Ferry commissioner Martin 颅Crilly of Comox. Law said BC Ferries is, for instance, proposing to cut the Mill Bay/Brentwood route.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e kind of stuck with the geography,鈥� Law said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e certainly been banging our heads looking at solutions.鈥�
Crilly will make a preliminary ruling on the proposed hikes by the end of March. The government will review the proposal by June, then Crilly will make a final decision by September.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com
