BC Green House Leader Adam Olsen says the state of BC Ferries is and will continue to put Vancouver Island at an economic disadvantage in calling for additional investments into the service and the provincial marine industry at large.

害羞草研究所淭here is no doubt about it,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 know if we can put a number on it, but that disruption and that lack of certainty is going to cause, and is causing, problems,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淏usinesses are going to choose to invest elsewhere if they can害羞草研究所檛 get their product in or out of their businesses based on the island.害羞草研究所�

Olsen made these comments Wednesday (Oct. 18) morning after BC Ferries had to cancel two sailings on its route connecting Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria because of staffing shortages. The cancellations led to long waits for would-be travellers without reservations, impacting personal and professional appointments, including people going to work.

Olsen, whose riding of Saanich North and the Islands includes the Swartz Bay ferry terminal near Victoria as well as several ferry-dependent islands, said BC Ferries finds itself under what he called 害羞草研究所渋ncredible tension right now害羞草研究所� to deliver the service, but questioned its spending priorities.

害羞草研究所淭hey can hire vice-presidents, they can hire people within the administration, that害羞草研究所檚 not going to put working in the engine room or people working in the wheelhouse,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淐learly, what is needed here, BC Ferries needs to be competitive with the marketplace.害羞草研究所�

Olsen added that it also makes sense for B.C. to have a marine-focused economy, whether it is building large vessels or investing in other aspects. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 one of those untapped areas,害羞草研究所� Olsen said.

United BC Leader Kevin Falcon echoed Olsen害羞草研究所檚 criticisms, questioning the recent hiring of four new vice-presidents. Falcon said all of them are earning between $300,000 to $460,000 and the introduction of 害羞草研究所渨eak little puny害羞草研究所� fines for missing sailings starting next fiscal year will not make a difference.

害羞草研究所淭hey (vice-presidents) should be getting a daily fine of $7,000,害羞草研究所� Falcon said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 how you focus attention.害羞草研究所�

Falcon said the current troubles of BC Ferries go 害羞草研究所渄irectly back to when they (NDP) decided to politicize the ferry corporation by installing the architect of the fast ferries disaster.害羞草研究所�

Falcon was referring to Joy MacPhail, who was appointed as chair of BC Ferries害羞草研究所� Board of Directors. She held several cabinet positions during the late 1990s, early 2000 when the NDP was in power and in charge of BC Ferry Corporation, when the province decided to sell off a trio of fast ferries built in B.C. in the mid-1990s.

While they cost $470 million to build, the government wrote down their value to $40 million each after they essentially proved to unusable. MacPhail, at the time, called the fast ferries a 害羞草研究所渇ailed project.害羞草研究所�

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Transportation Minister Rob Fleming acknowledged BC Ferries needs additional staff. While 99.1 per cent of scheduled sailings sailed since September, these figures mean nothing for individuals impacted by Wednesday害羞草研究所檚 cancellations, Fleming said.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just not good enough.害羞草研究所�

Fleming also acknowledged the potential economic impacts of service disruptions, adding that he is worried about the reputation of BC Ferries.

害羞草研究所淵es, because what we want to avoid is driving up the cost of business or driving up the cost of transporting people and goods to and from Vancouver,害羞草研究所� he said, adding that government is working with BC Ferries to improve reliability.

Fleming also shot back at critics. When asked about the criticism concerning the hiring of vice-presidents, Fleming said the the emphasis is on hiring crews.

害羞草研究所淥n the subject of executive compensation, I heard (Falcon) talk about that,害羞草研究所� Fleming said. 害羞草研究所淚t was under his watch when he was the transportation minister that the CEO of BC Ferries got paid $1 million a year, 害羞草研究所� Fleming said.

Wednesday害羞草研究所檚 cancellations also came up during Question Period.

害羞草研究所淣o amount of NDP spin is going to take away from the fact that you害羞草研究所檙e spending record amounts of money and getting record low results for the travelling public,害羞草研究所� Falcon said.

Premier David Eby said both he and Fleming agree it unacceptable that people are not able to get to where they are going.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e made very clear to the leadership of B.C. Ferries, the Minister of Transportation has, that we expect them to meet the needs of the people of British Columbia to get around this province,害羞草研究所� Eby said.

He also questioned Falcon害羞草研究所檚 opposition to help BC Ferries with $500 million for fuel. 害羞草研究所淚f that member thinks that people in ferry-dependent communities think he害羞草研究所檚 on their side, he害羞草研究所檚 got another thing coming,害羞草研究所� Eby said.

wolfgang.depner@blackpress.ca
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