Derek Kilbourn
Sounder News
This past week saw Sheila Malcolmson, MLA for Gabriola-Nanaimo, hold conversations with both local ferry advocates, and Nicholas Jimenez, Chief Executive Officer for the BC Ferries Corporation.
Malcolmson spoke to the Sounder after those meetings on the various topics covered. On Monday, July 28, Malcolmson met with the locally-formed Gabriola Ferry Advocacy Committee, which was formed after BC Ferries (BCF) dissolved all of the Ferry Advisory Committees.
On Wednesday, July 30, she met with Jimenez.
BC Ferries ban on Electric Vehicles being towed on to ferries
As reported in previous Sounders, BC Ferries is now prohibiting electric vehicles from being towed on to any vessel in the BCF fleet, citing a Transport Canada regulation that prohibits a damaged lithium car battery from being transported on a ferry with passengers.
The Gabriola advocates had outlined to Malcolmson that the BC Ferries interpretation of the regulation goes to far – in that it prohibits transport of any towed-EV, regardless of whether the issue is a damaged battery, or something else.
Malcolmson said she is her view this week on the situation is very interesting. She has had an electric vehicle since 2019. And for the first time, it is having mechanical problems, not related to the battery. But if the vehicle fails to start while she is waiting for the part to come in, and she has to have the vehicle towed, the BC Ferries decision will make that difficult.
“I’ve been getting a lot of mail on this in my office, which was very much confirmed by the convestation I had with the ferry advocacy committee.
“I heard the constituents say they feel BCF has mis-interpreted, or too broadly cast the requirements that TC has put in front of it. I’m absolutely concerned – our government really wants to see expansion of EVs.”
She pointed out that BC has the largest charging network in Canada, and has created incentives for EV purchase. Add in to this, local governments and non-profits (including GERTIE) are investing in electric buses.
“I’m concerned the BCF policy runs counter to the direction that our government has set.
“That said, I was reassured when I talk to Jimenez…that he heard the message that I’m hearing from my constituents. That BCF has over-reached on the interpretation.”
Malcolmson said BCF is working actively with Transport Canada to discuss the concerns that constituents have raised about the impacts of the policy, “and Jimenez heard the suggestions that I relayed.
“One is the policy be more narrowly focused on when there’s a battery malfunction.” She said they also discussed other mechanisms for transport – like the Dangerous Cargo sailings that EV users and ferry users hope would meet the requirements Transport Canada has set out. This would make it possible to use EVs for personal use and for others.
Dissolution of the Ferry Advisory Committees
Malcolmson said she shares the community concerns with the dissolution of the BC Ferries Ferry Advisory Committees in April of this year.
“We had dedicated community volunteers who for 30 years had been providing free and informed advice to BCF for ferry operations for the Gabriola Nanaimo Route.
“At the time, I expressed my disappointment with the BCF decision, and I continue to regret the loss of that direct link of ferry users into ferry operations.”
Malcolmson said the CEO’s position was that, “he is sure BCF made the right decision. We agreed to disagree.
“I did encourage ferries to establish as soon as possible the project specific project specific advisory processes, that they said would replace the old FAC model.”
Malcolmson said she encouraged Ferries to form a project advisory committee as quickly as possible, “so they could continue to tap into the knowledge and wisdom of our community. I would say Jimenez heard my advice.”
Malcolmson was asked if there was any talk about starting plans now for when – five years or more from now – BC Ferries does have to shut down the Gabriola route for terminal replacement.
She said that specific item did not come up.
“I think it was implied…in that they strike a project advisory board now, recognizing the very first piece of work would be workaround coordinating the Emergency Dock upgrade that the RDN is going to do, and the near-term improvements.”
The final piece in the FAC discussion was that Malcolmson offered to the CEO that if BCF gets asked to make changes that BCF views as, “on our provincial highway system. I invited the CEO to use me as the MLA to be someone who can actively connect the dots between the responsible ministries. He offered to make sure things don’t fall between the cracks.”
Given that Malcolmson lives on Gabriola, and has very personal experience of ferry issues, she was asked if that also meant connecting BC Ferries to persons with local knowledge when it comes to this particualar route. She said, “I think that’s fair. That’s what I’m hoping Ferries will establish soon, that will have people seated at the table that will have a direct hand in the improvements.”
Twice the capacity before 5pm
Malcolmson had heard from the Advocacy group that on the Gabriola schedule, twice as many people can leave Gabriola in the daytime, as can return to the island after 5:20pm, as that is when the two-ship service ends.
She was asked by the Sounder if that had come up with the conversation with Jimenez.
“It hadn’t been described to me until the Monday meeting. I hadn’t heard the problem characterized like that. It was not something I talked to the CEO about. It’s an important piece to talk about at an operational level.”
She said she was encouraged to hear Jimenez regularily uses the ferries to commute as well, and understood how important it was.
“He is engaged every time he is on the ferry. We have that shared experience, me as MLA, and him as CEO. We benefit greatly from using the service ourselves many times a week.”
Federal Government increases aid subsidies for Atlantic ferries
This past week, the federal government announced it would increase federal spending for Marine Atlantic, which operates ferries in Atlantic Canada.
Premier David Eby had spoken to media, criticizing the federal government for not also helping to fund ferries on the pacific side of Canada.
Malcolmson said, “it’s a long-standing grievance from BC into the federal government.”
Prior to being an MLA, Malcolmson was the Member of Parliament for Nanaimo-Ladysmith. “I echoed that same concern, as the only MP who lived on a gulf island, and had the experience of riding the ferry daily.
“The federal government has compounded the problem by again increasing the subsidy to the [atlantic] ferry users. It’s pouring salt in the wound.
“Neither the Premier nor I are going to let go of our advocacy for west coast ferry users, that we be treated more fairly.
“I heard Ravi Kahlon, the Jobs and Economic Growth Minister say it’s a factor of 30 to 1, the support the Atlantic ferry users receive compared to Pacific ferry users. That will be high on the Premier’s agenda, as part of the pattern we see, west of the Rocky Mountains, Canadians getting short shrift compared to other provinces.”
Drivers to Doctors
The Gabriola Ferry Advocacy committee asked Malcolmson to help work on ensuring the vehicles from the Driver to Doctors program can have assured loading on the Gabriola route.
Currently – those vehicles do no, unless the patient themselves has such a permit.
This means a single trip to Nanaimo for some of the volunteer drivers, and the patient they are taking, can take eight or more hours. Which could lead to fewer volunteers, and a less frequent service for those who need it.
Malcolmson said what she heard from Drivers to Doctors and the advocacy committee was there are ways both BCF and the province can make it easier – like providing the permits directly to the Drivers to Doctors organization, which averages three to four trips a week.
She said Jimenez welcomed Malcolmson’s offer to work with the Provincial government to find ways to make what is a provincially-administered program work better for both patients and volunteers.
“I think BCF feels that its not their program, and I said I was willing to help, if something is falling between the cracks,
“I am willing to help. It is an active conversation I’m willing to have with my counterparts around the table.”
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