VANCOUVER –Wednesday’s announcement by B.C. Ferries that service cuts are on their way adds to the mounting evidence that the Liberal policy of operating our ferries like a private cruise line has failed, say the New Democrats.

“Skyrocketing fares, a serious drop in ridership, sending ship-building jobs to Germany, and wasteful spending on executive salaries, a tourism centre and expensive ads paint a picture of a ship adrift at sea,” said New Democrat ferries critic Gary Coons. “New Democrats have been saying for years that the Liberals are taking our ferry system in the wrong direction, and now everything we said would happen has come to pass.

“The Liberals tried to turn B.C. Ferries into the Love Boat, but instead it’s heading in the direction of a ghost ship.”

B.C. Ferries announced Wednesday that they are asking the Liberal government for permission to cut service, including by up to 400 fewer sailings on major routes. The cuts are part of B.C. Ferries’ attempt to stay afloat amidst huge increases to fares and significant drops to ridership since the Liberals privatized ferries in 2003.

In response, Liberal Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom refused to rule out the cuts, saying “I will see what they formally put to me as the minister.”

“The connection between coastal communities, Victoria and the mainland has suffered greatly in recent years, and it looks like it’s set to get worse,” said Coons. “The tourism industry in Victoria and Vancouver Island has felt the impact of skyrocketing ferry fares, and residents and businesses are finding their mobility severely restricted.

“The Liberals seem to like making British Columbians pay more and get less. They’re doing it with BC Hydro, they did it with their HST and they’re doing the same with our ferries.”

Coonsnoted the Liberal transportation minister lives in a remote northern community where highways are maintained by government, yet he has failed to step in and advocate on behalf of ferry-dependent communities.

“The Liberals thought they could buy time until after the next provincial election when the ferry commissioner launched a review of the ferry system, but it doesn’t take a review to see the system is broken and needs a new direction now,” said Coons. “We need to treat ferries as an extension of our highway system, as it was previously.

“It was a Liberal mistake to remove our ferries from the Transportation Act and turn it into a cruise line.”

Adrian Dix and the New Democrats are committed to supporting coastal communities and ensuring an efficient and affordable ferry service.

Gary Coons

North Coast

Gary Coons was re-elected as the MLA for the North Coast on May 12, 2009. He was first elected to the Legislature on May 17, 2005.