The Hook

Transportation Minister Shirley Bond acknowledged lowering fares encourages ferry use, but ignored a question about the government's role.

“I think its been important that the coast saver fare has certainly made a difference,” said Bond about B.C. Ferries' announcement yesterday that traffic had gone up over the summer. “We've seen traffic increase on certain days of the week as a result of that.”

During the summer B.C. Ferries offered a $39 discount fare on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for a car and driver on the major routes between Vancouver Island and the mainland, about 30 percent off the regular price.

Part of the comptroller general's review of B.C. Ferry Services Inc., the government-owned company that manages the ferry system, will be a look at how fares are set, she said. “Certainly there has been a significant decline [in traffic] and we do need to talk about how we incent people to use ferries.”

This morning the Ferry Advisory Committee Chairs called on the government to increase the amount of money it provides to B.C. Ferries so the company can reduce fares.

The government needs to abandon the direction it set in 2003 to move to a user-pay ferry system, Brian Hollingshead, the chair of the Southern Gulf Islands Ferry Advisory Committee, told the Tyee.

But when Bond, who was going to a B.C. Liberal caucus meeting, was asked about the FACC's comments and the government's role in funding the ferry system, she walked away from reporters.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.