Sidney’s new council will explore the possibility of establishing a foot-passenger ferry between the town and the Gulf Islands in the new year.
Mayor-elect Steve Price said the idea has been considered over the last year and he hopes to launch an economic analysis of the potential service and an engineering study of what would be required to run it from Sidney’s Beacon Wharf.
“It will come in front of the new council in January and we will have strategic planning sessions on it,” said Price.
He noted the idea was originally floated in the spring by Southern Gulf Islands director David Howe, who saw Sidney as the hub for the service.
“It was quite an election topic,” Price said. “People want us to use our waterfront resources better, make them more user-friendly and with more public facilities.”
Price said if they “can pull it off, it could become a big economic driver” for the town.
Price said the service could cut down the reliance on expensive B.C. Ferries routes running from Swartz Bay, and encourage day trips for doctor visits, dental appointments, shopping and as a link to the airport and Greater Victoria’s transit system.
“Right now [people on the Gulf Islands] have to drive and B.C. Ferries are time consuming and expensive,” said Price. “But with this, you could hop on a boat and wind up right downtown.”
Bill Elford, manager of the 36-year-old Gulf Islands Water Taxi service, said the idea is feasible, but he wonders just how practical it might be for a private operator to run the service given the cost of operating vessels over a significant distance.
“Look at B.C. Ferries, they are running into ridership problems, and we don’t get subsidies ... we need to make a profit,” he said.
Elford’s service runs five vessels, including a water ambulance out of Swartz Bay and four passenger vessels to shuttle as many as 200 school kids between Mayne, Galiano and Saltspring islands each weekday. He said his company has been part of the discussion, but calls it “more of an idea than talk” at this point.
“We have done little tests, like we go to Galiano once a week in the summer not Sidney, but it’s something to look into,” he said, noting it would take strong organization and big marketing dollars to make it work.
At this point, all concerned point out it is still conceptual and all operator options are being considered.
Price has suggested it could be run by B.C. Ferries, as an extension of the transit system like the Sea Bus in Vancouver, or by a private operator.
He said he has spoken about the idea with B.C. Transportation Minister Todd Stone and parliamentary secretary Jordan Sturdy, who had been meeting with Island stakeholders about priorities for the province’s 10-year transportation plan, and both appeared open to discussion. Stone did not immediately return calls Monday.
Price also hopes to get Ottawa interested to help with infrastructure costs. “[Sidney] will offer the location for the ferry to come in and out of and we will co-ordinate putting together provincial and federal funding,” he said.
The plan seems to sit well with the local business and tourism community.
Frank Bourree, hospitality industry consultant and chairman of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, said “we welcome any additional links to Vancouver Island that will help bolster economic development and tourism. However, the business case may be a challenge,” he said..
