Part 3

For more than a year, Jessica Carr spent her Saturday afternoons weaving through Vancouver traffic to make the 7 p.m. ferry at Tsawwassen.

Her work schedule meant public transit wasnB次元官网网址檛 an option, unless she wanted to show up at midnight to meet her Victoria-based boyfriend on the other side.

B次元官网网址淓very weekend, back and forth,B次元官网网址� she recalled of the seven-hour round trip.

Although walk-on fares on the major B.C. Ferries routes arenB次元官网网址檛 outrageous B次元官网网址� passengers currently pay $15.10 on the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen run B次元官网网址� Carr noticed the impact of the bi-weekly travel on her monthly budget.

B次元官网网址淭he ferry cost alone is $30 round trip, never mind the parking you have to pay, which is $20 or $30 each weekend,B次元官网网址� she said. Paying to take her vehicle over wasnB次元官网网址檛 even a consideration, she added.

Since moving to Victoria last March, Carr estimates sheB次元官网网址檚 saving at least $120 a month. B次元官网网址淢y weekends are no longer dictated by the ferry schedule, just looming in the back of my mind,B次元官网网址� she said.

As Capital Region residents know all too well, the cost of ferries has an inevitable impact on everything from the cost of goods to incoming tourism dollars.

With fares set to increase an average of 12 per cent over the next three years, even B.C. Ferry Commissioner Gord Macatee has admitted ferry users have reached a B次元官网网址渢ipping pointB次元官网网址� of affordability.

The province, which binds B.C. Ferries to a minimum service level on each route, is in the early stages of consultation with coastal communities, trying to figure out how to cut $30 million in costs from its roughly 185,000 annual sailings on both the major and minor routes.

Transportation Minister Mary Polak said $9 million in cuts have already been identified, beginning with 98 sailings on low-ridership departures between Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen and Duke Point-Tsawwassen.

ItB次元官网网址檚 those changes that people like Trevor Sawkins will be watching closely.

As CEO of Cold Star Freight Systems, Sawkins oversees the movement of more than 23,000 kilograms of frozen and fresh food each day. His trucks make 50 round trips between the Mainland and Vancouver Island each week.

B次元官网网址淭here really is only a three- or four-day supply (of fresh food) on Vancouver Island at any given time,B次元官网网址� he said.

While rising fares and reduced sailings arenB次元官网网址檛 likely to affect Cold StarB次元官网网址檚 bottom line, the increased costs are passed on to customers, meaning products that originate off-Island end up costing more, Sawkins said.

B次元官网网址淚f the cost of food is going up, it may change what is being eaten, as well.B次元官网网址�

The advantage for local producers, he said, is that they gain a competitive price advantage on the Island. B次元官网网址淭he downside is they canB次元官网网址檛 expand their food industry beyond the Island.B次元官网网址�

The B.C. Trucking Association had its biggest beef with B.C. Ferries ironed out when the ferry commissioner set predictable price caps on rising fares earlier this year.

B次元官网网址淥ften, (fares) are the largest part of our cost structure. So, if theyB次元官网网址檙e giving us a fair bit of time to react, thatB次元官网网址檚 definitely helpful for the trucking business. Before that, it was on a yearly basis with very limited notice,B次元官网网址� said Sawkins, a trucking association board member.

B次元官网网址�    B次元官网网址�    B次元官网网址�

B.C. Ferries fares arenB次元官网网址檛 excessive when compared to other ferry systems that travel similar distances, Macatee noted in his review of the Coastal Ferry Act.

But he admits direct comparisons are made difficult by a lack of available data from other private companies.

B次元官网网址淚 know people are feeling the pain of higher fares, but when you dive a little bit further into the issue, our fares arenB次元官网网址檛 outrageous by world standards,B次元官网网址� he said.

Even with the planned fare increases, B.C. residents pay less for ferry travel than residents in Ireland, Massachusetts and New Brunswick, according to the review, published in January.

Only NorwayB次元官网网址檚 government-controlled ferry system is cited as having substantially cheaper fares when priced on distance travelled.

The Norwegian government covers 50 per cent of operating costs for its ferries, while the B.C. government contributed enough to cover roughly 38 per cent of B.C. FerriesB次元官网网址� operating budget last year.

But Macatee warns it isnB次元官网网址檛 operational costs pushing fares higher, itB次元官网网址檚 the looming $2.5 billion required to replace 11 vessels in the next 10 to 12 years.

B次元官网网址淭he ships are wearing out. We either replace them, or theyB次元官网网址檒l be taken out of service by federal regulators,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址�    B次元官网网址�    B次元官网网址�

Carr hopes the upcoming changes to B.C. Ferries include better deals for regular commuters between the Island and Lower Mainland.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 ridiculous they donB次元官网网址檛 have a frequent traveller pass so that you can get a discount (on major routes),B次元官网网址� she said.

Minor route residents have access to Experience Cards, which allow for 30-to-40-per-cent savings on fares using a prepaid card.

With ridership declining and fares continuing to rise, something has to happen. A new long-term vision is needed. And right now, what that might look like is anyoneB次元官网网址檚 guess.

To add your voice to the public consultation, visit coastalferriesengagement.ca.

dpalmer@vicnews.com

Past stories in series: