The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will be reviewing the province’s coastal ferry service, at a cost of $250,000.
In a release Friday, the government says it’s slated to start in January 2018 and will look at how it can better meet the needs of ferry users and B.C.’s coastal communities, but won’t consider bringing BC Ferries back into government.
The review will try to determine if there are gaps in contracted ferry services, and also figure out if there need to be changes to the price cap and regulatory model.
It’ll also identify places where service enhancements and costs reductions can be made without impacting the existing service.
Speaking to 980 CKNW’s Simi Sara, Transportation Minister Claire Trevena says the Coastal Ferries Act has been in place for 16 years, so the time is right.
“What I was hearing very clearly as opposition critic and continue to hear clearly now and as an island resident here all the time is that BC Ferries isn’t working in the public interest..that the fares are too high and so on.”
Blair Redlin, former deputy minister of transportation and former CEO of the BC Transportation Financing Authority, will oversee the review.
The final report is expected to be completed by June 30th, 2018.
~With files from Charmaine de Silva
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