Two mayors are calling on premier David Eby to intervene and address the deterioration of the ferry service on the Langdale-Horseshoe Bay route.
According to a letter to Eby, both mayor Silas White of Gibsons and Bowen Island mayor Andrew Leonard have called the service unreliable due to frequent breakdowns, prolonged delays, and no accountability for those who depend on the service.
They say the most recent example of the deteriorating condition includes a vessel breakdown and widespread disruptions to service over the Easter weekend, which left travellers stranded and communities scrambling.
White says Eby needs to honour his promises to customers in regions that rely on the service and fix the issues.
“Premier Eby committed in 2023 to making BC Ferries a top priority,” he says. “Yet today, our communities remain burdened by an unreliable service that affects not just travel plans, but our residents’ health, livelihoods, and businesses.”
The letter outlined four demands for provincial action including the creation of an accountable governance table, mandatory transparency, immediate service improvements, and reinstatement of meaningful community engagement.
Leonard says for residents in the region ferry service is a way of life.
“Reliable ferry service is not a luxury, it’s a fundamental public service, critical to the economic and social well-being of ferry-dependent communities,” he says. “The consequences of inaction are profound and growing.”
Both mayors have requested a written response by the end of May, and a meeting with the Premier and Minister of Transporation before the peak of summer travel.
