Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 1, 2010 8:35:44 GMT -8
BCFerries is again wanting to break their contact for required number of sailings and hours of service.
This time, it's route 26; the route between Graham and Moresby Islands in Haida Gwaii.
======================
from here: www.qciobserver.com/Article.aspx?Id=4514
==================
Ok, so here's what the BC Ferry Commission says in general:
from this site: www.bcferrycommission.com/reg__of_service_levels.html
The Commission's ruling on an old Alliford Bay issue was to:
OK, so what does the contract say about required number of sailings on this route?
from here, page 60: www.bcferrycommission.com/CFSContractAmendmentJune2007.pdf
Ok, so it's clear that the Contract that BCF signed calls for a service period of 14 hours year-round.
- BC Ferries is trying to get out of this contract.
This time, it's route 26; the route between Graham and Moresby Islands in Haida Gwaii.
======================
Don't cut Kwuna sailings: community leaders
Rumours that Kwuna service could be reduced, leaving no connection between Graham and Moresby Islands in the evenings, are a concern to every community on Haida Gwaii.
At the June 24 protocol meeting in Queen Charlotte, Sandspit representative Evan Putterill told community leaders that the Moresby Island Management Committee recently received a letter from BC Ferries confirming that it is "investigating the feasibility" of reducing service to 12 hours a day, and intends to discuss it with the local Ferry Advisory Committee.
"It would be a major blow to the community," Mr. Putterill said. "My thought here was we should focus on telling the Minister of Transportation this is not okay."
BC Ferries needs permission from the provincial government before it can change the Kwuna schedule.
Queen Charlotte mayor Carol Kulesha, also a member of the Ferry Advisory Committee, said the Kwuna connection is vital even if it does lose money.
"This is our road between the islands," she said. "We do need to be able to go there in the evening and have people on Moresby Island come over."
Queen Charlotte councillor Kris Olsen pointed out that if Skidegate Inlet were fresh water instead of ocean, the ferry service would be free, as it is in BC's interior communities.
Community leaders voted to write to the transportation minister saying that Haida Gwaii is unified in support of maintaining the existing level of service on the Kwuna route.
Rumours that Kwuna service could be reduced, leaving no connection between Graham and Moresby Islands in the evenings, are a concern to every community on Haida Gwaii.
At the June 24 protocol meeting in Queen Charlotte, Sandspit representative Evan Putterill told community leaders that the Moresby Island Management Committee recently received a letter from BC Ferries confirming that it is "investigating the feasibility" of reducing service to 12 hours a day, and intends to discuss it with the local Ferry Advisory Committee.
"It would be a major blow to the community," Mr. Putterill said. "My thought here was we should focus on telling the Minister of Transportation this is not okay."
BC Ferries needs permission from the provincial government before it can change the Kwuna schedule.
Queen Charlotte mayor Carol Kulesha, also a member of the Ferry Advisory Committee, said the Kwuna connection is vital even if it does lose money.
"This is our road between the islands," she said. "We do need to be able to go there in the evening and have people on Moresby Island come over."
Queen Charlotte councillor Kris Olsen pointed out that if Skidegate Inlet were fresh water instead of ocean, the ferry service would be free, as it is in BC's interior communities.
Community leaders voted to write to the transportation minister saying that Haida Gwaii is unified in support of maintaining the existing level of service on the Kwuna route.
from here: www.qciobserver.com/Article.aspx?Id=4514
==================
Ok, so here's what the BC Ferry Commission says in general:
from this site: www.bcferrycommission.com/reg__of_service_levels.html
The Commission regulates the service provided on a ferry route in a number of ways.
It monitors BC Ferries’ adherence to its contract with the Province, which commits BC Ferries to provide a specific number of sailings per day on each of its 25 routes.
BC Ferries cannot stop serving a route or cut back service on a route without the Commission’s permission.
It monitors BC Ferries’ adherence to its contract with the Province, which commits BC Ferries to provide a specific number of sailings per day on each of its 25 routes.
BC Ferries cannot stop serving a route or cut back service on a route without the Commission’s permission.
In some situations, BC Ferries may temporarily cut back on the number of sailings it has agreed to make in its contract with the province.
The Coastal Ferry Act says that BC Ferries must not (except as permitted by the Coastal Ferry Services Contract) reduce service on a route unless it first obtains the authorization of the Commissioner.
The Commissioner may authorize a reduction in service under section 43 of the Act if the Commissioner is of the opinion that it is for a temporary period and for an extraordinary situation.
So far, the Commission has given this authorization three times on the Tsawwassen-Nanaimo, Skidegate-Alliford Bay and northern routes between Port Hardy and Price Rupert and Prince Rupert to the Queen Charlottee Islands.
The Coastal Ferry Act says that BC Ferries must not (except as permitted by the Coastal Ferry Services Contract) reduce service on a route unless it first obtains the authorization of the Commissioner.
The Commissioner may authorize a reduction in service under section 43 of the Act if the Commissioner is of the opinion that it is for a temporary period and for an extraordinary situation.
So far, the Commission has given this authorization three times on the Tsawwassen-Nanaimo, Skidegate-Alliford Bay and northern routes between Port Hardy and Price Rupert and Prince Rupert to the Queen Charlottee Islands.
The Commission's ruling on an old Alliford Bay issue was to:
Authorizes temporary reduction in service on Route 26 between Skidegate and Alliford Bay on the Queen Charlotte Islands to accommodate maintenance refit of the vessel MV Kwuna.
OK, so what does the contract say about required number of sailings on this route?
CORE SERVICE LEVELS
Number of Round Trips to be Delivered per Contract Year 4,378
Minimum Number of Round Trips per day
- Peak 11
- Off Peak 11
Minimum Hours of Operation
- Peak 14
- Off Peak 14
Number of Round Trips to be Delivered per Contract Year 4,378
Minimum Number of Round Trips per day
- Peak 11
- Off Peak 11
Minimum Hours of Operation
- Peak 14
- Off Peak 14
from here, page 60: www.bcferrycommission.com/CFSContractAmendmentJune2007.pdf
Ok, so it's clear that the Contract that BCF signed calls for a service period of 14 hours year-round.
- BC Ferries is trying to get out of this contract.
