Want BC Ferries (BCF) to address your concerns at its Nov. 23 event at Sechelt’s Seaside Centre? Submit them in writing, in advance, on the BCF website’s South Sunshine Coast community page, recommends BCF’s manager of corporate communications, Astrid Chang.
In online searches about how to make complaints or suggestions for improvements effectively, “put it in writing” tops many of those lists. Other tips on getting your views through to decision makers provided on the Canadian Office of Consumer Affairs “Complaint Roadmap” include “provide specific details," “go to the right place” and “follow up.”
A review of the Coast Reporter's recent letters to the editor and posts on ferry-related social media sites show no shortage of local issues with BCF’s services. While there are no guarantees that submissions to BCF’s upcoming session will influence change or produce results when it comes to ferry service on Coast routes, here are more event details to help you make decisions on your involvement.
Conversations, no agenda
The community webpage states that posting your feedback or a "like" on other community members' posts will help BCF “shape the conversations” for the drop-in event, scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 23. It indicates that posts won’t be responded to directly and to get a written response you are asked to email [email protected].
“Input will be gathered through conversations with BC Ferries staff, along with a variety of opportunities to provide written feedback that other participants can see, comment on, and interact with…Our real focus is on hearing from the community and answering their questions,” Chang wrote in a Nov. 10 email.
BCF stated the event will have an “informal atmosphere," with no official agenda or presentations from the ferry corporation or others attending.
Event and service perspectives differ
Southern Sunshine Coast Ferry Advisory Committee chairperson (SSCFAC) Diana Mumford said she views the event as “an information session providing their (BCF’s) perspective on ferry service."
On Nov. 8, Mumford told Coast Reporter, “Obviously, the perspectives of the Sunshine Coast residents are very different. For example, I am currently watching [at 10:30 a.m.] the situation at Langdale, where the 8:40 a.m. is still holding in dock due to a mechanical issue and the contradicting information being provided by BCF. There was a service notice at 8:36 a.m. that the sailing is holding, but it took BCF 1.5 hours to indicate on the Current Conditions page that the sailing was not sailing on time and has now been cancelled, with the next sailing already full – if it even goes.
"This is after yesterday [Nov. 7], where two round trip sailings were cancelled due to weather conditions that impacted the L-run ship we get from Nanaimo for the 5:30 and 7:55 evening sailings.”
Who will attend from BCF?
The session is billed as an opportunity to speak directly with “the BC Ferries community relations team." Those attending from BCF are slated to include both its manager and director of community relations, terminal and fleet operational senior managers and representatives from BCF’s fleet deployment and scheduling department. In her email, Chang indicated those attending from off-Coast locations will travel to the event via the ferry system, as walk-ons where possible, and using carpool arrangements.
PT6 submission to be 'clearly outlined'
The session will include information on route-specific data (capacity, demand, crewing, cancellations, etc.) and information on the Performance Term 6 (PT6) submission to the BC Ferries Commissioner, said Chang. The PT6 submission covers BCF's proposed service for 2024 through 2028. "Plans for Route 3 (Horseshoe Bay – Langdale) within the PT6 submission will be clearly outlined at this session and representatives who can answer questions about the proposals will be on hand,” Chang wrote.
In Mumford’s opinion, the week leading up to the Remembrance Day weekend “did not start out well” for Route 3. “Yet in the PT6 submission, BCF does not appear to consider our route to be in need of timely improvements,” she wrote.
The leader of the local advisory committee says the causes of the route issues go beyond BCF. “Add the provincial government to the equation as there is currently a Services Contract between Government and BCF for our route where BCF has to provide fewer sailings per year (2945) than the original contract in 2003 (2985). That is despite a significant increase of population for the Coast since 2003, approximately 16 per cent. BCF provides 200 more sailings per year than contracted, yet we still have 30.5 per cent overloads and a 75 per cent On Time Performance (OTP). I have collected data that shows we have weeks where the OTP is less than 50 per cent,” said Mumford.
She also noted that any PT6 adjustments will not come into effect until 2024. Her concern is that leaves the coming year’s service to the Coast in a similar situation to 2022.
Local Ferry Advisory Committee reps will be there
Despite having frustrations with BCF’s current performance, future plans and how those are affecting life on the Coast, Mumford says she’ll attend on Nov. 23. The SSCFAC will have an information table at the event and will look to connect with residents about the committee's work and to seek new members. Mumford, who plans to stay on for the next SSFAC term of two years starting in 2023, said there is no set membership limits for the group, but it does have to be a "manageable" number. Full details on FACs and the application package are available on BCF’s website.
In Mumford's words, the local group is “looking for people that are interested in all aspects of ferry service, not a single issue, and that are interested in becoming informed for any discussions. That means willing to read and ask thoughtful questions about such documents as the PT6 submission.”
What comes next?
BCF stated it will communicate the results of the session to the public via the community page within two weeks of the event. “This report will include a summary of the high-level themes we heard, responses to common questions, action items identified, and a report of the verbatim comments provided throughout the session,” wrote Chang.
Event costs
In response to Coast Reporter’s question about costs for the session, Chang wrote “We typically spend between $200-$500 dollars to host our events.” That estimate does not include the cost of staff time to plan, attend or report on the proceedings.
