A review of the Vancouver Island Transportation Requirements.

A review of the Vancouver Island Transportation requirements.

When the NDP first came into power in the early 1970’s Vancouver Island was their base. This base was centered in Nanaimo and Vancouver Island was a flourishing resource center for British Columbia with two dominant industries: forestry and fishing.

Between the mainland and Vancouver Island were the Gulf Islands and the access to V.I. was sailing around the Gulf Islands. The economy was doing well and the population was expanding, with Ferry access by the Victoria route and the Horseshoe Bay and Departure Bay route. The Gulf Islands became progressively popular as a residential location and all ferry services became under pressure for expansion. Larger ferries and terminals were essential components for the inevitable growth and all terminals became pressured to expand or relocate.

The New Democrats decided that for their constituents on Vancouver Island, the ferry service had to be expanded and plans were made to build larger terminals and ferries. At the same time in order to provide for the increased demand for a broad range of services to and from Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, more efficient routes planned for.

In order to provide for these expansions in service delivery and to build the most efficient transportation network, the NDP decided that the shortest route would be the most cost effective solution. The logical way to solve this would be to find a route that supplied the required needs. At the same time environmental issues become more popular and because the Gulf Islands were in between the mainland and Vancouver Island, the NDP created the Islands Trust to provide some measure of order.

The NDP passed the Islands Trust Act as a solution to the variety of interests at stake: transportation, environmental considerations and population demands. The Islands Trust Act set aside a transportation route for Vancouver Island that combined the shortest route for the ferry system, a bridge connection   for Gabriola Islander’s needs and a framework for continued growth on Vancouver Island. The OCP for Gabriola Island included the transportation requirements and the environmental needs.

The NDP lost the next election and the Social Credit government did not follow through with the transportation plans but kept the Islands Trust Act intact. New ferries were built, terminals were expanded and the pressures induced by economic demands from Vancouver Island, continued. When the NDP were elected again, they decided that speed was the dominant factor, not expense and ferry crossing time, so they created the Fast Cats ferry system that failed on all fronts.

The Social Credit had morphed into the Liberal Party and due to out of control fare increases, inefficient crossing routes and international financial upheavals, the Liberals have amended the Coastal Ferry Act to include all options including bridges to replace inefficient ferries.

A review of the ferry system by public consultation is underway and the first step will be for the Liberal government to choose the candidate best suited to determine the direction of the ferry system. The choices are higher fares, decreased sailings, cables instead of engines and bridges to replace ferries.

Jeremy Baker