What goes up keeps going

There’s no mystery about the reason Hornby and Denman islanders are holding another protest rally today.

They are joining people who live on other Gulf Islands in the Rock the Boat coalition who are reeling from skyrocketing costs to ride ferries.

If ferries commissioner Martin Crilly of Comox approves new fuel surcharges BC Ferries is expected to apply for soon (Crilly typically approves surcharges that increase fares), it could bump fares from Buckley Bay to Hornby to almost double 2003 levels.

Rapidly escalating fares have had two effects, particularly for Hornby because two ferries are required to connect it to Vancouver Island rather than just one between Buckley Bay and Denman.

Besides creating a real hardship for residents to travel off the islands, higher fares are throttling local economies by discouraging visitors.

While those who live on the smaller islands have mixed feelings about the annual invasion of summer visitors, small businesses rely on seasonal traffic and the revenue it brings.

If you talk to people on Hornby or Denman these days, they will almost invariably mention a ticket package you can buy that includes a discount, as they do what they can to lure you to their island.

Even with a discount, most of us on Vancouver Island can’t justify buying a number of tickets if we don’t plan to travel to the islands often.

These days, the rich are undeterred by dramatically higher costs to board BC Ferries vessels, but the middle class has to think twice, especially about a family excursion. Those with less money can only dream about riding ferries that many argue should be treated as part of the provincial highways system.

Placing BC Ferries at arm’s length a few years back seemed like a good idea to remove it from the political interference of previous years.

Trying to run it like a business also makes the government’s bottom line look better, but BC Ferries is pricing itself out of normal people’s reach.

editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com