Final report - Integrated Land Management Bureau

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3.3 Ferries and Other Commercial Vessels Strengths • Ferry system is long-standing primary connection between Central and North Coast communities and southern BC • Well maintained BCF dock facilities in Prince Rupert, Bella Bella, Bella Coola, Shearwater, and Ocean Falls, although Prince Rupert is older; good Alaska ferries terminal and dock in Fairview area • BCF dock at Prince Rupert has been reconfigured to accommodate new Northern Expedition ferry (Route 10) and Port Hardy and Bella Bella docks are being re-configured • BCF ferries offer some freight transportation services • Route 10 (Inside Passage) and 40 (Discovery Passage) draw visitors during summer months • With implementation of its Northern Service Strategy, BC Ferries taking more encompassing and better resourced marketing of its Northern Services • New Northern Expedition ferry adds a cruise experience, with its staterooms and better food • Northern Service Ferry Advisory Committee composed of knowledgeable coastal residents • First Nation owned and operated ferry or water taxi services connect Lax Kw’alaams, Kitkatla, Oona River, Hartley Bay, and Metlakatla to Prince Rupert • Barges serve all coastal communities and for several are a source of fuel, food, and freight • Water taxi serves Shearwater • Prince Rupert is a stop on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry service between Alaska communities and Bellingham, WA • New Alaska Marine Highway service ferry and schedule for Prince Rupert • Route 11 service between Haida Gwaii and Prince Rupert • Other formal or informal charter boat services between Central Coast communities and Port Hardy or Port McNeill Transportation Assessment of the Central & North Coast of BC Weaknesses • Revenues from passenger and vehicle traffic on BCF’s Northern ferry routes fall well short of service costs, mainly due to small population base of region • Frequency of service to Prince Rupert has not changed in almost 30 years • Passenger and freight service to isolated coastal communities has declined in past 30 years • Northern Service Ferry Advisory Committee is BCF appointed, has limited mandate, has limited First Nation input and holds no public meetings • Funding conduit for Northern Service is through BC Government, not BCF, but no ongoing regional advisory body appointed by BC Govt. for either ferry services or coastal transportation • Several ferry docks and a train station at Fairview, south of Prince Rupert, missing cost reduction opportunity and eroding traveller experience • City of Prince Rupert had to re-build relationship with Alaska ferry system after ferry blockade, including assuming responsibility for its Prince Rupert terminal • Reduced winter schedules to Central and North Coast communities • Existing ferry docks at Klemtu, Shearwater and Ocean Falls are not large enough to accommodate the new Northern Expedition on Route 10 • Bella Bella terminal facility is small, and overcrowded in summer months • Long distances resulting in high operating costs and small passenger and freight volumes make it expensive to operate a local ferry service – e.g., Nimpkish ferry on Central Coast failed • BCF service on Route 40 is unlikely to appeal to tourists seeking more comfortable accommodation • Lax Kwa’laams ferry service shares a Fairview dock that is inadequate for freight service and costly for ferry operation and ferry users Chisholm Consulting 66
Opportunities • New Fairview dock facility project being spearheaded by City of Prince Rupert would greatly improve traveller experience and reduce city’s costs • Discovery Coast service can be marketed as mini-cruise • Central Coast “circle route” (Vancouver Island – Bella Coola – Williams Lake – Vancouver) • Packaged tours based on Inside and Discovery Passage and Haida Gwaii routes • Re-scheduling to facilitate tourism opportunities for isolated communities • More comfortable amenities on Northern Expedition can form the basis for stronger marketing efforts to attract more travelers, especially older demographic group, to Route 10 • Coordination in schedules and marketing between BCF Inside passage service and Alaska ferry service • Tsimshian Access project would open up opportunity for Alaska Marine Highway to relocate its dock to Lax Kw’alaams • Improved ferry services would facilitate access to Prince Rupert employment opportunities for Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla residents • Cost of water transportation for people and goods between Lax Kw’alaams and Prince Rupert would be lowered by Aero Point project, environmental benefit as well due to shorter route • Improved Digby Island ferry service (Tsimshian Access project) would offer new labour supply, tourism development, residential housing development and improved airport access and development opportunities for Prince Rupert area Transportation Assessment of the Central & North Coast of BC Weaknesses continued • Metlakatla and Lax Kw’alaams ferry/water taxi services don’t support commuting to Prince Rupert work • Most barges have empty backhauls • No regularly scheduled barge services between main supply points & remote communities. Threats • Lack of clarity about BC Government’s and BC Ferries’ commitment to northern routes and building up their tourism traffic volumes • Uncertainty about who will service the northern routes and their levels of service if BCF sells or leases northern service infrastructure and ferries • General community uncertainty about the future of the northern routes translates into investment stumbling blocks • Lack of long-term BC Government transportation strategy or plan for small coastal communities • Improved Digby Island ferry service (Tsimshian Access project) requires a high level of collaboration between several governments and senior government financial contributions • Aero Point landing project for Lax Kw’alaams ferry has been delayed for several years by lack of BC Government cooperation • Barge service frequency and cost for transporting community items, such as fuel and food, is tied to level of industrial economic activity, current downturn in coastal forest industry has negatively affected barge services for community purposes • Reduced ferry service during the winter months affects availability of fresh food in communities such as Klemtu – subsequent effects on locals’ health • Food supply also an issue in Wuikinuxv • Access to health care and education services limited, esp in winter months Chisholm Consulting 67
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Transportation Assessment of the Ce
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary
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Transportation Assessment of the No
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TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF KEY CENTRAL AND
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Issues and Recommendations Transpor
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Transportation Assessment of the No
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1. INTRODUCTION Transportation Asse
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FIGURE 1: MAP OF LRMP PLAN AREA Sou
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Source: Statistics Canada, Census 2
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TABLE 2-3: MUNICIPAL POPULATION TRE
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2.1.3 Economy Transportation Assess
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Source: Statistics Canada, Census 2
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Transportation Assessment of the Ce
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Page 51 and 52: 2.3 Communities 2.3.1 Central Coast
Page 53 and 54: WAGLISLA (BELLA BELLA) Transportati
Page 55 and 56: KLEMTU Transportation Assessment of
Page 59 and 60: OCEAN FALLS Transportation Assessme
Page 61 and 62: LAX KWA’ALAAMS Transportation Ass
Page 65 and 66: OONA RIVER Transportation Assessmen
Page 67 and 68: DODGE COVE Transportation Assessmen
Page 71 and 72: TABLE 2-29: TRANSPORTATION INFRASTR
Page 73 and 74: 3. SWOT ASSESSMENT Transportation A
Page 75 and 76: KITIMAT Strengths • Northwest Reg
Page 77: Opportunities Central Coast: • Im
Page 81 and 82: 3.4 Rail Strengths • Improved CN
Page 83 and 84: 3.6 Major Ports PRINCE RUPERT Stren
Page 85 and 86: KITIMAT Strengths • Ice-free, she
Page 91 and 92: ► Issue: No coastal BC transporta
Page 101 and 102: TABLE 4-2: RESIDENCY OF PASSENGERS
Page 103 and 104: 5. RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 General Stra
Page 111 and 112: BIBLIOGRAPHY Transportation Assessm
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Final report - Integrated Land Management Bureau

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