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| The Northern Routes of BC Ferries (from BC Ferries website) |
With a litany of cancelled BC Ferry sailings and service interruptions in hand, the Board of North Coast Regional District has announced its plan to take growing concern over the service level for the Prince Rupert to Skidegate run and Island service to the appropriate oversight boards.
The issue becoming somewhat exacerbated over the last few months owing to cancelled and delayed sailings related to weather issues, which are beyond the control of BC Ferries.
Though as we noted in an item from November, the extended delay in getting back on schedule can be attributed to the reduced level of vessels that are in place on the North Coast/Haida Gwaii route during the fall/winter off season for the Ferry Corporation.
Something which can leave Haida Gwaii residents and those travelling to the Islands cooling their heels for days or more as the vessel allocation rotation for the routes presents itself.
The service to the inter island ferry has also seen a number of disruptions through the period as well.
In their notes from the November 24th Regional District Meeting, the Board noted that they will be sending a correspondence to the BC Ferry Commission and BC Ferry Authority to highlight they concerns over the declining service reliability on the Northern routes and Route 26.
The Board may also want to include North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice to the cc list when it comes to distribution of their concerns.
As an opposition member in years past, Ms. Rice was a very vocal and effective critic of the then BC Liberal government when it came to Ferry concerns in the north.
That advocacy may be ongoing now that she's part of the government.
But if so, it's something taking place outside of the spotlight and theatre of the Legislature, where she has not spoken to transportation themes much (other than to praise the work of government) since the NDP took charge of the government's affairs.
The MLA recently acknowledged concerns over emergency medical care on Haida Gwaii, using her social media forum to note that she was hearing those voices.
She may soon have to do the same on themes of Transportation.
With two members on the Board of Regional District, Prince Rupert City Council might also be interested in stepping into the discussion on ferry service in the region, Offering an invitation to the MLA to come to a public session of Council to speak to the Ferry situation and other items of note that are gaining some notice in the area.
Using City Council's forum would give both Council members and the MLA the opportunity to discuss the situation and provide updates for the public as to what solutions if any are available for the communities of the entire North Coast and Haida Gwaii.
More notes on Regional District can be explored here.
Further items of interest related to BC Ferries can be found here.
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