Defend Our Marine Highways Rally
Tuesday, March 11th, 2014 – 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Provincial Legislature Lawn
Victoria, B.C.
Quadra Island: British Columbians from across coastal communities and throughout the province will bus and carpool to converge on the lawn of the Provincial Legislature on Tuesday, March 11 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm to deliver their pointed message directly to the Premier and the Transportation Minister: stop the cuts, lower the fares and put BC Ferries back into the Highway system and listen to the people.
Impacted communities were stunned and outraged over the substantial cuts to BC Ferries’ service, unilaterally announced by the provincial government, which affect virtually all coastal routes other than three major routes. The dramatic cuts were announced on November 18, just two days before the start of the 20 community engagement meetings from November 20 through December 13th ,. In every community citizens were angered and remain aghast at the gross mismanagement of BC Ferries by the Province. Community anger has not died down; rather it has increased. Rubbing salt into fresh wounds, BC Ferries announced further hikes to fares which, they admit, long ago passed the tipping point, with the imposition of a 3.5% fuel surcharge on January 17th and a further fare hike of 4% on April Fools Day and another 4% planned for April of 2015.
Jim Abram, Chair of the Strathcona Regional District commented that, “Until the government wakes up and treats our marine highway in the same manner as the terrestrial highways, BCFS will never be sustainable. We are the marine highway and need to be treated as such.”
The Defend Our Marine Highways Rally will bring together powerful speakers from local governments, big business, Chambers of Commerce, labour and community activists to deliver the message to the Legislature and through the media, to all of British Columbians: we must re-envision BC Ferries as a critical public transportation service with a mandate to lower fares substantially, improve services and function as a vital economic generator for all of B.C.; put all of the service cuts and fare increases on hold; put BCFS back where it came from: The Ministry of Transportation and Highways.
“Coastal British Columbians take no issue with paying our fair share of the provincial highways budget, which includes free inland ferries. But we do take issue with being double-dipped and being forced to pay up to 98% of the operations costs of BC Ferries on top of our provincial highways contribution. Our coastal ferries are our marine highways and should be funded as part of the provincial transportation system,” noted Jef Keighley, Chair of the BC Ferry Coalition.
Sheila Malcolmson, Chair of the Island Trust explained, “We’re all in the same boat. Coastal communities aren’t asking for anything the rest of BC doesn’t have. Public infrastructure is the foundation on which business operates and our province functions. By reinvesting in coastal ferries, the government can help restore the economic and social health of ferry-dependent communities. If fares come down, ridership can rebound and businesses begin to recover. BC must return to the fundamental principle that built this province: marine transportation is an essential part of BC’s prosperity.”
Defend Our Marine Highways is organized by coastal activists with strong support from local governments, business, labour, seniors, First Nations, community organizations and coastal residents
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For more information:
Jim Abram: at 250-830-8005 or 250-285-3355
Jef Keighley: at 604-885-2290 or 778-999-1950.
Sheila Malcomson: at 250-247-8078 or 250-713-1957