Province to launch public review of BC Ferries system
Posted December 15, 2017 2:37 pm.
Last Updated December 15, 2017 2:59 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Here’s your chance to tell the provincial government what you think of the BC Ferries system.
The Ministry of Transportation is launching a full review to make sure the service is meeting the needs of coastal communities.
Minister of Transportation Claire Trevena says the review will look at everything from routes, to schedules, fares, and management , but it’s not directly looking to bring the service back into government.
“This is not one of the objectives of the review, the review is really to look at the practices and politics and procedures of BC Ferries,” she tells NEWS 1130. But, Trevena adds she isn’t prejudjing the results yet. “It is not looking to, for an excuse to bring BC Ferries back under government at all. It is looking at how we can ensure that this marine highway, or marine transportation system, works in the best public interest.”
Trevena adds the review will even look at where people think ferries should be built.
“Procurement will be one of those sections that we’ll be looking, at and how we can ensure whether it is in the public interest rebuilding ferries in BC and if so, how we can do it.”
The review will not change the government’s previous plans to freeze fares on major routes, reduce them on other routes and bringing back free week day seniors passes.
Former Deputy Minister of Transportation and former CEO of the BC Transportation Financing Authority Blair Redlin has been appointed as the special adviser to oversee the entire review.
It gets underway next month with results expected by the middle of the year.