Gary Coons

VICTORIA – The B.C. Liberals are undermining the coastal ferries system by hiking fares before acting on the independent review of B.C. Ferries, say the New Democrats.
“While British Columbians continue to wait for the B.C. Liberals to live up to their promise of acting on the independent review, residents up and down the coast are [...]

There is more bad news for the Island economy in the latest ruling on B.C. Ferries fare increases. Fares on the main routes will rise by up to 2.7 per per cent on April 1. The other routes, including the northern service, will increase an average 5.7 per cent.

With fare rates on B.C. Ferries expected to rise on April 1, NDP ferries critic Gary Coons says the Liberal government is taking too long to react to recommendations on how to improve the service’s transparency and accountability.

Ferry passengers will pay more to ride on April 1 — a fare increase expected to generate $21 million for the mothership B.C. Ferries corporation.
Ferry commissioner Martin Crilly approved an increase in price caps for both major and minor B.C. Ferries routes on Friday.

VICTORIA – The B.C. Liberals are failing to act on an independent review of B.C. Ferries even as ferry fares are set to climb higher on April 1, say the New Democrats.
“Cities, towns and First Nations communities up and down the coast have been devastated by skyrocketing fares since the B.C. Liberals privatized our ferries [...]

Ferry fares will likely rise again April 1 after ferry commissioner Martin Crilly today approved price cap increases on all 25 of British Columbia Ferry Services Inc.’s regulated routes.
The commissioner approved a 2.68 percent increase on the three major routes between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland and a 5.68 percent jump on all other [...]

British Columbia Transportation Minister Shirley Bond said British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. needs to consult more with the public before she’ll approve a controversial plan to run ferries from Tsawwassen to Prince Rupert.
“There’s been no final decisions made about that,” said Bond. “What I want to make sure is that communities have adequate opportunities to [...]

B.C. Ferries is launching an internal investigation into safety concerns on board the Northern Adventure after the 6,000-tonne vessel was forced to abort a sailing this week due to bad weather in Hecate Strait.

Less than three weeks after the release of a finance ministry report that said the same people should not serve on the boards of both the B.C. Ferry Authority and B.C. Ferry Services Inc., at least one director has been reappointed to both.

NDP ferries critic Gary Coons is questioning whether the Northern Adventure — the ferry sometimes dubbed the “Vomit Comet” – is equipped for the harsh waters and weather of B.C.’s stormy North Coast.