TC BCF Service Levels Letter to Minister Trevena

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Bowen  Denman  Hornby  Gabriola  Galiano Gambier  Lasqueti  Mayne  North Pender  Salt Spring  Saturna  South Pender  Thetis 
 
 
200-1627 Fort Street, Victoria BC  V8R 1H8 
Telephone  (250) 405-5151    Fax  (250) 405-5155 
Toll Free via Enquiry BC in Vancouver 604.660.2421.  Elsewhere in BC 1.800.663.7867 
Email  information@islandstrust.bc.ca 
Web  www.islandstrust.bc.ca 
 
 
July 30, 2020                 File No.: 5595-30 BC Ferries 
 
Via email: Minister.Transportation@gov.bc.ca 
The Honourable Claire Trevena 
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure  
PO Box 9055 
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2 
 
Dear Minister Trevena:  
Re:  BC Ferries Service Levels in the Islands Trust Area 
 
On behalf of Islands Trust Council, I am writing to thank you for the provincial funding recently allocated to 
BC Ferries in order to halt the planned service reductions to some BC Ferries routes. Trust Council was 
deeply concerned about the impact of the planned service reductions on Trust Area communities.  These 
communities are extremely dependent on affordable, reliable ferry service levels for their personal, social 
and economic well-being. We were also dismayed that there was no proper consultation with local Ferry 
Advisory Committees before these planned cuts were announced. 
 
Trust Council understands that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on BC Ferries’ finances, but feels 
that the planned service cuts were premature and did not take into consideration the natural increase in 
demand that would result from the phased BC Restart Plan. Moreover, local island economies have 
experienced the same devastating impacts from COVID-19 and are now in even more need of affordable, 
reliable, sufficient ferry service levels in order to recover and recoup the losses that have been incurred. 
 
Access to ferry services is a basic and essential need for Islands Trust Area communities, both for 
residents’ transportation needs and to support their tourism-dependent economies. Island communities 
will continue to be especially vulnerable to the impacts of unforeseen crises such as pandemics, natural 
disasters, and the ever-increasing impacts of climate change. We therefore urge the Province to put in 
place measures that will ensure that current service levels are maintained or improved to continue to 
meet local demand, irrespective of the financial uncertainties of BC Ferries. We further request that 
priority be placed on the involvement of Ferry Advisory Committees in all aspects of decision-making, to 
ensure that the needs of communities are well understood and protected. 
 
Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.    
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Peter Luckham 
Chair, Islands Trust Council 
pluckham@islandstrust.bc.ca                 .../2 

The Honourable Claire Trevena 
July 30, 2020 
Page 2 
 
   
cc: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BC Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing 
Trust Area MLAs 
President and CEO, BC Ferry Services

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