qathet Sunshine Coast ferry advisory committee chair Kim Barton-Bridges is frustrated and disappointed with BC Ferries’ decision to disband the regional ferry advisory committees (FACs).
According to a media release from BC Ferries, the organization will collaborate with FACs, community residents, local governments and MLAs, First Nations and other interested and impacted groups to create a more inclusive and responsive engagement model, which will replace the FACs and be in place starting in May 2025.
Barton-Bridges said on November 25, FAC chairs were participating in a videoconference, with the supposition that it was about a community prioritization panel they had been working on with BC Ferries.
“We were under the impression that’s what it was all about,” said Barton-Bridges. “That’s not how it unfolded. It was basically – you’re fired after 30 years, but we’d love it if you want to hang around, because we’re not really quite sure what it’s going to look like in May. We don’t have a plan yet, so maybe you could help us come up with that – which seems ridiculous.”
Barton-Bridges said BC Ferries CEO Nicholas Jimenez was on the call.
“We haven’t had many opportunities to see him,” said Barton-Bridges. “Last year, he was going to come to one of our advisory committee meetings, and we told everybody he was coming, and he stood us up at the last minute.
“He basically put us on the chopping block and it just felt really awful. It’s not a personal thing for me. There have been times over the last few years where I’ve actually just wanted to quit, because I sometimes feel very frustrated. There’s just a lack of understanding of what our community needs. People in Victoria just don’t understand the nuances of ferry travel in small communities like ours.”
Barton-Bridges said it is important to hold BC Ferries to account, and that FACs have had a role to play. She said it appears BC Ferries wants to make themselves less accountable because they want to remove a level of oversight.
“In their news release, they said they want to strengthen relationships with coastal communities, enhance customer trust and meet public interest,” said Barton-Bridges. “I don’t know how that is going to happen by taking FACs out of the picture.”
Barton-Bridges said BC Ferries undertook a customer survey and BC Ferries indicated the results showed that 80 per cent of respondents indicated they want more digital options. She said looking at the makeup of this community, there are lots of seniors and people without access to computers. She said in her position as chair of the FAC, she regularly fields calls from people who won’t or can’t go online, who want to know information about BC Ferries and its operation.
“I don’t believe that if we surveyed residents in qathet region that 80 per cent of the people would say they want to communicate with BC Ferries online,” said Barton-Bridges.
She said the qathet FAC has a broad range of representation, including people from city council, the regional district, the school district, residents from Texada Island, residents of the city and the regional district, Tla’amin Nation and from Powell River Chamber of Commerce.
qathet FAC has actively advocated for local residents and has worked hard to improve safety at terminals, improve customer service for customers who are stranded as a result of weather or crewing issues, and helping people be compensated. Better communication between the Sunshine Coast terminals has also been high on the list of improvements sought, so that ferry travellers heading from Langdale to Earls Cove don’t end up missing the ride to the qathet region because of scheduling issues on the lower coast.
“I’m frustrated,” said Barton-Bridges. “The FAC chairs have been in communication and we are all frustrated.”
Barton-Bridges said the FAC chairs have been in touch with Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Randene Neill, who was advised of the FAC disbanding prior to the official announcement. Barton-Bridges said Neill indicated that a number of MLAs were taken by surprise.
“There’s a number of them that are doing what they can to advocate for us because they see the value, and how important it is for us to hold BC Ferries to account, and make sure they are doing the things they say they are going to do,” said Barton-Bridges. “This is a huge slap in the face and it doesn’t bode well for how BC Ferries engages with people. On the one hand, they tell us how they appreciate the work we’ve done, but then they are dismantling this whole FAC thing.”
Barton-Bridges said those serving on the FAC are all volunteers and she hears appreciation for the committee’s efforts in the community.
“People stop me and say their thanks for all that we do with regard to the ferry,” said Barton-Bridges. “People here get it and I think they really appreciate it. BC Ferries is saying that they are engaging with communities because they have this online thing, but nobody is holding them to account. I’m concerned about that for sure.
“I’ve been very quick to give kudos to BC Ferries when they have finally done something that we have been indicating would be very helpful for ferry riders. They are not hearing negative stuff all the time from us.”
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