Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

ADAM OLSEN - Increasing demand on BC Ferries system, limited supply of space, aging infrastructure and consumer expectations are all factors that need balancing


This summer has been a particularly difficult one for people who rely on the BC Ferries.

For people who just need a ferry to get home, or to a long-anticipated medical appointment, or work, or an endless number of other reasons, the excuses about a complex governance structure created by one government and maintained by another government, are unacceptable.

Missed medical appointments and an overall lack of certainty are really difficult for people to manage. It wears on people and I have a great deal of sympathy for the many exasperated and frustrated folks who rely on ferries.


Demand on the service is growing, and this summer they have been failing to keep up on many routes. However, it’s not every route and every sailing.

The challenge is meeting the peak demand.

Many suggestions for improving the system have been sent to BC Ferries and copied to my office. It’s important that you continue to direct your correspondence to them, and include me, and the Minister of Transportation. I will always advocate with both the corporation and government for a better service.

Increasing demand on the system, limited supply of space, aging infrastructure and consumer expectations are all factors that need balancing. The recipe for a perfectly running system year-round is always changing. In my opinion, the way they are currently structured too much of this is left to chance.

Improving the system
Getting on the ferry has always been a gamble. Show up and go, first come, first served. In most instances everyone who wants to get on a specific sailing is successful.

In recent years BC Ferries has added a reservation system on some routes to increase the certainty. Consumers reserving a spot on a specific sailing have had to pay a premium, which in my mind is the opposite of how it should be. Earlier this year BC Ferries announced that they are changing their reservation system this coming fall.

An expanded reservation system might allow for people to better plan their trips on and off the Southern Gulf Islands, limiting the amount of time needlessly wasted waiting for ferries. In addition, it might help BC Ferries plan to deal with higher than usual volumes if they knew it was trending that way well in advance. In addition, they are exploring variable pricing models to encourage more manageable traffic patterns.

I believe we can address the issues around uncertainty and limit missed appointments. While an expanded reservation system might not completely do away with the high volumes, we are seeing this summer, it will help everyone be able to plan better.

So, on this I would like to know your opinion:


Would you support an expanded reservation system for all trips on and off the Southern Gulf Islands? What are your thoughts?





Adam Olsen ... is a Green Party Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for Saanich North and the Islands.

Born in Victoria, BC in 1976, Adam has lived, worked and played his entire life on the Saanich Peninsula. He is a member of Tsartlip First Nation (W̱JOȽEȽP), where he and his wife, Emily, are raising their two children, Silas and Ella.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Absence of BC NDP Transportation Minister, and the MLA whose riding this issue falls within, demonstrates a continued lack of care and attention for rural BC

       BC Government photo More than 600 residents of Harrop and Glade, B.C. face the prospect of being cut off from essential services as a looming ferry strike threatens their livelihoods and well-being. Pete Davis, Conservative MLA for Kootenay Rockies is calling on the local NDP MLA for Kootenay Central and Minister of Rural Services, Brittny Anderson, to put rural communities first. “ This isn’t just about logistics; it’s about the people who depend on this ferry to access food, work, and critical services ,” Davis said. “ The residents of Harrop and Glade deserve leadership. Their local MLA and Minister must stand up for them and ensure their voices are heard .” Davis is urging the government to take swift action to bring both sides together and prioritize a resolution that avoids further disruption. “ It’s time for the government to lead, support rural communities, and secure a fair deal for everyone involved ,” Davis added. Harman Bhangu,...

CTV: Year-end interview with John Rustad on BC Conservatives' remarkable 2024

It’s been quite the year for BC Conservative Leader John Rustad – his party soaring from less than two per cent of the popular vote and no seats in the 2020 election to nearly winning this year’s election ... ... He insists he’ll support free votes by his members – and what sets his party apart is its willingness to allow such free speech. “That’s a big thing that you’ll see between us and the NDP – you will never see them say anything outside of their message box,” said Rustad. “And that’s not how I want to do politics. I actually think it’s OK to have differences, it's OK for people to disagree. But we do agree on the big things, the things that are important for the people of British Columbia"... CLICK HERE for the full story

FORSETH -- Trash talk of one uncouth individual causes a firestorm of opposing opinions

LANGUAGE WARNING: WOW … a few seconds – 8 words -- of uncouth and vulgar speech has brought about a firestorm of opposing opinions across social media. Those 8 words?  “ Get the f--- out of BC. You suck ”, were spoken by twice failed School Trustee (Nelson 2022 and Castlegar 2024) Emily Duggan, who is also, apparently, subject to a peace bond and ordered to stay away from an elementary school. I posted a story about this on my own political Facebook page , this morning (Sunday December 29th), and boy did it start a raft of comments, agreeing with her right to say what she did, but also firmly opposing her comment.  Here’s just a few examples: •    He has it coming. The narcissist •    Why? They're getting old enough to know that their Dad is well, well past his governing expiry date. He is genuinely hated in many corners of this polite land of ours . •    Trudeau is trash and he wrecked our country. You’re part of the problem! Peopl...

Labels

Show more