Letters to The Sun: We need a passenger bill of rights for B.C. Ferries customers

Published Sep 23, 2024  •  Last updated 6 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

The Spirit of British Columbia Ferry Photo by Government of B.C. /PNG

With the provincial election on the horizon, it’s time that the provincial government addresses the chronic issues plaguing B.C. Ferries. These problems have not only frustrated the traveling public, but also demoralized the frontline employees who are, in many cases, the recipients of the public’s anger and frustration.

Since the privatization of the B.C. Ferry Corp., we’ve witnessed a troubling trend: rising fares and declining service. Regardless of its name, let’s be honest — B.C. Ferries is an integral part of our provincial highway system and a public service. It is the responsibility of our government to ensure it is adequately funded, managed, and operated.

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The time has come for the creation and implementation of a B.C. Ferries passenger bill of rights.

A passenger bill of rights would provide much-needed accountability and improve the experience for travellers. It would establish clear standards of service and accountability, offering compensation for delays, cancellations, and unmet services, while imposing penalties on the company for failing to meet these standards. A bill of rights could establish guidelines for vouchers, refunds, or credits when significant delays or disruptions occur, similar to the air passenger bill of rights.

The tracking of complaints filed under a bill of rights would encourage the company to better manage scheduling, crew availability, and vessel maintenance, helping to prevent delays and improve overall service reliability. This would also ensure that competent and effective leadership is at the helm of the company.

Until such measures are brought in, the public remains at the mercy of an unreliable ferry system. The public should be able to catch a ferry within a reasonable amount of time after arriving at any terminal — with or without a reservation. A person with a reservation should be able to catch a specific sailing, and those without should be able to catch a ferry within a reasonable amount of time, not a four-hour wait.

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Any politician who champions a B.C. ferry passenger bill of rights will earn my vote.

Mike Sharpe, former deck hand, B.C. Ferries Corp., Victoria

Carbon tax shouldn’t be considered an existential threat to the economy

A Ford F-150 diesel pickup truck travelling 20,000 km per year would result in a cost of $8 per week for the carbon tax — about the cost of a pint of beer per week. This can hardly be considered an existential threat to the Canadian economy or, as B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad says, “taxing people into poverty.”

Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and Rustad should explain what, if anything, they intend to do about taxing industrial emissions. Additionally, they both should sit in on a Grade 12 chemistry class to learn about the remarkable ability of CO2 and methane molecules to trap heat in the atmosphere.

Doug Taylor, North Vancouver 

Preventative treatment saves costs in our health-care system

Our health-care system is quite fragile, as I have recently experienced. I live in a seniors home for independent living and for the last 2-1/2 years I have had regular home visits from medical practitioners, including a nurse and a geriatric doctor. They provided excellent support and medical information as my mobility is extremely limited. A strong personal bond was also created. This type of preventative treatment avoids trips to the hospital emergency room by taxi or ambulance. It also reduces stress and is, in my opinion, a cost saver to the system.

Without receiving official notification, it came as a shock to have this great service stopped more than two months ago. I therefore consider this a step backward in our medical system and contravenes one of the recommendations made by Dr. Jane Philpott in her book Health For All, which I can highly recommend.

Nora Harlaar-Hulstein

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