Sunshine Coast residents taking the Langdale-Horseshoe Bay route in either direction should be receiving priority boarding, says BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall.
Marshall confirmed the loading priority after Coast Reporter received a complaint from a Gibsons resident who said he missed a sailing to Vancouver after disclosing he lived on the Sunshine Coast.
“I was asked where I live and was told I would have to go off to the side since I was a resident and not an essential person. They were saving space for non-residents … and essential services personnel,” wrote Charles Stephens in a letter.
When asked about the incident, Marshall said in a June 9 email, “The intent is priority for residents regardless of the direction of travel. We clarified this issue with our team at Langdale yesterday.”
In an earlier email seeking confirmation about how priority loading works at the terminals, Marshall said “residents of the Sunshine Coast just need to tell the ticket agent they are residents. They don’t need to show ID. Please keep in mind that there may still be overloads, as the majority of travellers on the Langdale route are residents.”
Priority boarding for residents was allowed under the state of emergency declared by the province in March. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth included the power to “direct passenger and car ferry operators, in consultation with the province, [to] provide minimum service levels and priority access for residents, and essential goods and workers.”
Priority boarding was also mentioned in the new temporary service level adjustment agreement, which came into effect June 3 and expires Sept. 7. It says BC Ferries “will maintain procedures necessary to ensure priority loading for residents and essential goods, service and workers” while the Local Authorities and Essential Supplies Ministerial Order remains in effect.
