Letter MOTI BC Ferries service Denman Hornby Islands

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700 North Road, Gabriola Island, BC  V0R 1X3 
Telephone  250-247-2063    Fax  250-247-7514 
Toll Free via Enquiry BC in Vancouver 604.660.2421  Elsewhere in BC 1.800.663.7867 
Email  northinfo@islandstrust.bc.ca 
Web  www.islandstrust.bc.ca 
 
 
 
October 9, 2018 HO-6410-03 
 
Via email: Minister.Transportation@gov.bc.ca 
 
Honourable Claire Trevena 
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure 
 
Dear Minister Trevena: 
 
Travellers on BC Ferries’ Route 22 (between  Denman  Island  and  Hornby  Island)  experienced 
unprecedented  delays  due  to  overloads  this  summer.  While  delays  are  certainly  to  be  expected  in 
the  peak  summer  season,  the  number  and  length  of  delays  were  unprecedented  in  2018,  with 
resulting impacts upon the community. 
 
The  journey  between  Buckley  Bay  and  Shingle  Spit,  which  usually  takes  about  an  hour,  often  took 
multiple  hours  this  past  summer.  Travellers  who  wanted  to  be  sure  to  connect  through  to 
Vancouver Island on the first sailing off of Hornby Island needed to leave their vehicle in the line-up 
the night before (which is of course not possible for everyone), or else had to be in the line-up one 
and a half to two hours ahead of the sailing. 
 
Route  22  had  the  highest  capacity  utilization  of  any  BC  Ferries’ route in July and August of 2017: 
99% and 102%. Route 22 also had the highest percentage of overloads of any route: 14.9% (up from 
9.2% in the previous year). It seems likely that a high proportion of these overloads are happening 
in  the  peak  season.  From  what  we  have  heard,  traffic  seems  to  have  substantially  increased  this 
year. 
 
It  seems clear  that  the  current  level  of  service  for  Route  22  contracted  between  the  Province  and 
BC Ferries is inadequate to address the actual level of traffic during the summer months. 
 
At its August 3rd, 2018 regular business meeting, the Hornby Island Local Trust Committee passed 
the following resolution: 
 
HO-2018-047 
It was MOVED and SECONDED, 
that  the  Hornby  Island  Local  Trust  Committee  request  the  Chair  to  write  to the 
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure asking the Province, in advance of the 
next   performance   term   of   the   Coastal   Ferry   Services   Contract,   to   engage   in 

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Bowen  Denman  Hornby  Gabriola  Galiano  Gambier  Lasqueti  Mayne  North Pender  Salt Spring  Saturna  South Pender  Thetis 
discussions   with   the   Denman-Hornby   Ferry   Advisory   Committee   to   explore 
amending  the  contracted  level  of  service  on  Route  22  to  address  the  high  level  of 
summer  traffic  that  cannot  be  met  by  the  present  contracted  level  of  service  (with 
the  letter  copied  to  the  CEO  of  BC  Ferries,  Hon  Scott  Fraser,  MLA,  the  BC  Ferry 
Commission, the Denman-Hornby Ferry Advisory Committee and the Hornby Island 
Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association). 
CARRIED 
 
The Hornby Island Off

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