"Charting the Course" long-term visioning for BC Ferries

[Mike C]

BC Ferries is currently undertaking a long-term visioning process, which includes six strategic principles for decision-making.  It sort of reminds me of a strategic visioning process that would be undertaken by a local government, or an official community plan.

The objectives are (as copied from the survey):

Reliability and Convenience: Ensuring that coastal ferries operate on schedule, with seamless connections that make travel predictable and stress-free.


Integrated Transportation: Aligning ferry services as a seamless element within the broader regional and provincial transportation networks.


Safety: Prioritizing the well-being and security of all users and employees within our system.


Environmental Responsibility: Striving for a sustainable operational footprint, with infrastructure that stands resilient in the face of climate change.


Affordability and Financial Sustainability: The ferry system provides good value to the public.


Customer Experience: Focusing on accessible, comfortable, and modern travel experiences, supported by the latest technology and amenities.

I'm not sure that this has been done before, most engagement has come from things like FAC meetings and customer satisfaction surveys.  It will be interesting to see what kind of report or document comes out of this process.

I'm stuck at home after messing up my back, so I decided to do the survey myself with my extra time.  Mostly they are looking for feedback on the really broad stuff.  Given that the goals themselves are so broad, it can feel a little daunting to provide feedback on what to make of them, and I struggled a bit with exactly what kinds of things they were looking for.

The FAQ for the plan is available here, and the survey is available here.

[Dane]

B

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But more seriously, I'm not really sold that this is real engagement.

As an organization BC Ferries has been so tone deaf the last few years, I've really lost a lot of confidence in the organization which historically I'd be rather willing to defend. This isn't to say that good isn't happening, there is some real success stories, but the failures seem more significant than they've been in some time.

Personally I find the single biggest ridiculous decision to be the 3 boat service to Tsawwassen / Duke Point instead of Route 2. Ultimately this is a failure of vessel procurement, as both routes could obviously do with 3 boat service, but Duke Point is such a isolated location for anything but very specific commercial traffic. Additionally, and this is admittedly anecdotal, but BC Ferries had to lay on the discounts to Route 30 this summer quite disproportionately to that of the other two major routes. And as transit use in BC leads North America is post-Covid recovery for ridership, big 'ol LOL if you're in Duke Point.

And adding more VPs a few weeks ago seems stunning. Quite surprised the Province okayed that.

[Blue Bus Fan]

Nov 17, 2023 14:43:23 GMT -8 Dane said:

B

U

F

F

E

T

But more seriously, I'm not really sold that this is real engagement.

As an organization BC Ferries has been so tone deaf the last few years, I've really lost a lot of confidence in the organization which historically I'd be rather willing to defend. This isn't to say that good isn't happening, there is some real success stories, but the failures seem more significant than they've been in some time.

Personally I find the single biggest ridiculous decision to be the 3 boat service to Tsawwassen / Duke Point instead of Route 2. Ultimately this is a failure of vessel procurement, as both routes could obviously do with 3 boat service, but Duke Point is such a ridiculous location for anything but very specific commercial traffic. Additionally, and this is admittedly anecdotal, but BC Ferries had to lay on the discounts to Route 30 this summer quite disproportionately to that of the other two major routes. And as transit use in BC leads North America is post-Covid recovery for ridership, big 'ol LOL if you're in Duke Point.

And adding more VPs a few weeks ago seems stunning. Quite surprised the Province okayed that.

I think BC Transit has boarded the vessel, pun intended, for this to happen. I think if I see TransLink get on board with project I will tend to believe because transit is important to communities and if both transit authorities in British Columbia are board I could see transit and ferries working extremely will together. I hope this plan could high sped passengers only vessels between Waterfront Station, Bowen Island and Sunshine Coast from within downtown with integration between TransLink network and BC Transit network.

[Dane]

Some more critique of this study, "we just did this," from the Northern Sunshine Coast FAC.

Link: www.coastreporter.net/local-news/northern-sunshine-coast-fac-chair-wonders-about-survey-7852461

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Northern Sunshine Coast Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC) chair Kim Barton-Bridges was scratching her head last August in Victoria when she heard at a meeting that BC Ferries was launching another survey.

“I was surprised because I was involved in one that began in the fall of 2019,” said Barton-Bridges. “A report was released in the spring of 2020.”

The 2020 report stated: “What we have heard from the public is that while the current ferry service works well for some, there is lots of room for improvement for those who most depend on it and in ferry dependent communities. Our vision is that travel by coastal ferries is seamless, equitable and compatible with the needs of coastal communities.”

“What I expressed in August was, what the heck? Why are we doing this now?” said Barton-Bridges.

BC Ferries launched Charting the Course: A Vision for Coastal Ferries on November 8; the survey asks for public feedback on topics such as sustainability, convenience and integration with land transportation.

Barton-Bridges has been chair of the Northern Sunshine Coast FAC since 2014, and said that the committee spent a long time doing this [consulting, surveys et cetera] already, and believes the same concerns remain looming. Now BC Ferries is looking ahead to 2050.

“We don’t have the ferries meeting our needs now, so I’m frustrated,” said Barton-Bridges. “I feel like the government is trying to look like they are doing something, when we need to get through this period right now.”

BC government funding is provided to BC Ferries through the contract that defines routes and minimum service levels. The province announced that it will be fining the company for sailings missed due to crew shortages, which will take effect on April 1, 2024.

Barton-Bridges believes that there hasn’t been enough investment in infrastructure or new sailing vessels, and with a growing population, more problems will arise and coastal communities are the ones that suffer. She said she has witnessed improvements on the connection for the Saltery Bay to Earls Cove route.

“I will give credit where credit is due,” she added. “Finally they [BC Ferries] have recently been holding the ship at Earls Cove, and that’s a positive.”

The survey runs until November 28 and can be found at Charting the Course: A Vision for Coastal Ferries.

[1foot2ships]

Nov 17, 2023 14:43:23 GMT -8 Dane said:

... I'm not really sold that this is real engagement.

... BC Ferries has been so tone deaf the last few years, I've really lost a lot of confidence in the organization which historically I'd be rather willing to defend.

Personally I find the single biggest ridiculous decision to be 3 boat service on rt30 instead of on rt2...

plus your first point about the buffet and i agree with u 4/4, 100%!

i did the survey last wk and i completely agree with u. this whole "charting the course" is an exercise in lip service. i should have taken notes, but all the questions were asking us to prioritise things they should be doing ALREADY, not what they should be CONSIDERING.

i get that ranking priorities has a purpose to order items in importance, but for 95% of the options, its not an either/ or choice.

everything mentioned should have already been talked about and implemented. the fact that they are openly asking for feedback on this, underlies your point Dane, that maybe there is no leadership steering this, or that the recent hiring of these managers is to put ppl into place for a job which should have been thought of and completed ages ago.

[Ollie]

The survey seems useless, it just had some random vague questions. I don't know why they are doing this.

[Blue Bus Fan]

I think I will take seriously if BC Ferries convinces Regional District of Nanaimo to expand transit service Duke Point Ferry Terminal.

[QoNW Fan]

Nov 20, 2023 13:41:19 GMT -8 Ollie said:

The survey seems useless, it just had some random vague questions. I don't know why they are doing this.

Agreed. I spent a little while trying to fill it out on my phone, then I accidentally moved to a previous page and lost all my progress. I don't feel like doing all of it again lol.

[Blue Bus Fan]

Nov 23, 2023 23:00:26 GMT -8 QoNW Fan said:

Nov 20, 2023 13:41:19 GMT -8 Ollie said:

The survey seems useless, it just had some random vague questions. I don't know why they are doing this.

Agreed. I spent a little while trying to fill it out on my phone, then I accidentally moved to a previous page and lost all my progress. I don't feel like doing all of it again lol.

I think BC Transit, TransLink, and Provincial Government really need to come to the table and actually come up with plan to integrate transit ferries and start taking intercity / interregional transportation as cheaper possible and as easy without needing a car. I think BC Ferries is starting to slow realize that they should plan for future while car culture is as big in North America as it used be. 

[cbachmeier]

Nov 20, 2023 13:41:19 GMT -8 Ollie said:

The survey seems useless, it just had some random vague questions. I don't know why they are doing this.

I agree, it seems odd considering BC Ferries as already stated its plans for the next decade or so. This survey seems to be vauge with the intention of addressing these issues in the far future like 2040s 50s and 60s (if the 60 year contract is extended after April 1st 2063).