Coastal mayors call on province to intervene amid ongoing B.C. Ferries disruptions

Anyone who takes B.C. Ferries regularly knows, at this point, that long weekend travel may not go as planned when using the ferry service. Vessels break down, sailings are delayed or cancelled, and long wait times are often the result — in some cases, even if you've booked a reservation.

Two round-trip sailings from the Lower Mainland to the Sunshine Coast were cancelled over the Easter weekend after a vessel was brought in by tugboat due to a mechanical failure. 

"It's left residents and visitors to the island waiting hours to get on a ferry," Andrew Leonard, the mayor of Bowen Island, B.C., told CBC's The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn. "Also, surprise cancellations ... leave visitors on the island stranded. And then folks on the mainland, whether it's our students or people that are at medical appointments or commuters stuck on the mainland are unable to get home."

The years of unpredictability have prompted the mayors of Gibsons and Bowen Island, two coastal communities that rely on B.C. Ferries, to pen a letter to the province calling for action and accountability to ensure smooth sailing on critical routes. 

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Gibsons Mayor Silas White said one of the biggest challenges is that there are a lot of entities that manage ferry service, and they often point fingers at one another. 

"If we have a major concern, whether it be missing an entire supplemental boat on a long weekend like we just had, or if we have just simply a minor concern like confusing signage or communications … there's no accountability," White said. 

First, there's the private company of B.C. Ferries itself, with a board of directors which oversees its operations. It also has a CEO, who "provides leadership and strategic direction."

Then, there's the B.C. Ferry Authority, an independent, no-share capital corporation established and governed by the Coastal Ferry Act, "responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of B.C. Ferries in support of the public interest."

Next, the B.C. Ferry Commission is the independent regulator of B.C. Ferries. Its job is to hold ferry service providers accountable for things like wage fares, capital projects and adhering to service contracts with the province. 

And finally, the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Transit is responsible for the transportation system across B.C.

Confused yet?

CBC News requested comment from each of the above entities. The ferry authority did not respond.

The communications representative for the ferry commissioner said, "It is up to the government whether they want to include Commissioner [Eva] Hage in any discussions."

In an emailed statement to CBC News, the ministry said it remains at "arms-length" from B.C. Ferries because it is a privately owned company.

"It is our expectation that B.C. Ferries provides a reliable service that meets the needs of the communities they serve," the ministry said.

B.C. Ferries efforts

In an emailed statement to CBC News, a B.C. Ferries spokesperson said the company has been in touch with Leonard and White and plans to work on making the service more reliable.

While cancellations and delays happen, the ferry service often points to its aging fleet as the reason for disruptions. Some of the ships are decades old. 

"The reality today is that we do not have enough spare vessels in the fleet to step in when something goes wrong, particularly during peak travel periods, so a single breakdown can ripple across multiple routes," the spokesperson said.

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B.C. Ferries says a survey of 5,000 customers found more than 81 per cent would prefer engaging with the ferry operator digitally as opposed to the current method of advisory committees. But Diana Mumford, chair of the southern Sunshine Coast ferry advisory committee, says the digital model would exclude ferry users who are not online.

B.C. Ferries has promised new vessels, although the commissioner only approved four of the five it requested. 

It announced upgrades at the Horseshoe Bay terminal, which serves people going to and from Bowen Island. In the long run, this is expected to help with passenger experience, but in the meantime, passengers are being told to expect construction on the terminal for "several years."

The ferry service has also increased the number of walk-on passengers for select sailings to Snug Cove on Bowen Island to "help ease demand during peak periods, keep foot traffic flowing more smoothly through the terminal, and provide greater flexibility for customers."

Mayor Leonard isn't convinced it will help. 

"Even if passenger capacity increases, how meaningful is that if the ferries are running an hour to 90 minutes behind," he said. "If the underlying service is unreliable, not operating on schedule, and we're dealing with cancellations, I wonder how much of a benefit that's going to be."

WATCH | Bowen Island residents demand answers from B.C. Ferries: 

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An investigation has been launched after the B.C. Ferries' vessel Queen of Capilano collided with moored boats at a private dock on Bowen Island on Sunday morning. As Belle Puri reports, the owner of one of the damaged boats fears it may never sail again.

The letter, dated April 25, had not received a response as of May 6. The letter requests a written response by May 31.

With the May long weekend just 10 days away, Leonard said municipalities are anxious. 

"We are anticipating some chaos."