BC Ferries Meeting ~ Wednesday, December 11th

Forbes Hall 

5PM ~ 8PM

A reminder of the BC Ferries/MoTI meeting next Wednesday December 11th at Forbes Hall from 5 PM until 8 PM. http://www.coastalferriesengagement.ca/

The Thetis and Penelakut meetings are the last of 20 such meetings in ferry dependent communities which started on November 20th following Minister Todd Stones announcement of ferry service cuts to the minor routes.

Feedback from other FAC Chairs indicates that the meetings have been very well attended, and in some cases many people have not been able to get in to the halls to hear the proceedings.  Participants have been respectful to the presenters, but very vocal in their distain for the depth of the cuts and the process that supposedly supports these cuts.  Please plan on attending the meeting...numbers speak volumes.  Some of the meetings participants are showing up in their work clothes (hospital workers, mill workers, fire fighters etc.) to emphasis the need for commuter runs (like our cut 6:20 PM sailing).  Many folks have brought their children along to show the effect that cuts have on families.  In fact, I am told, the presence of children at the meetings have had a definite impact on MoTI's  Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) Kevin Richter.  If you are affected by the cuts, please attend and tell your story.  Also, a big THANK YOU to Veronica Shelford for collecting the information from those of you who are affected by these changes...

We were told on November 19th (meeting with FAC Chairs and the government) by Kevin Richter that these cuts were a done deal...We are now hearing that this may not be the case, as they will take the findings from these meetings back to the political decision makers for a final decision.  Another reason to attend Wednesday's meeting! 

On Thetis and Penelakut Islands we may think we have dodged a bullet on our route, which we may have for the time being...BUT.  When Performance Term 4 (PT 4) starts on April 1st, 2016, BC Ferries will be looking at between $120 and $200 million shortfall in projected funding.  A large part of the shortfall will be capital cost outlays for new vessels (replacement for the Queen of Nanaimo and the Queen of Burnaby) and terminal upgrades (Horseshoe Bay for example needs $200 million in seismic upgrades).  In other words MoTI/BCF will be back again looking to further reduce service and raise fares...

Additionally we were informed on November 19th that BC Ferries would be meeting with local Ferry Advisory Committees in January of the new year to re-jig the schedules to take in to account the cancelled sailings.  A couple of important points regarding this: 

First of all, local FAC's have no mandate to speak on behalf of the entire Thetis Island Community or Penelakut Tribe.  We may in some cases be able to point the way to possible solutions but that's absolutely as far as we are prepared to go.  BC Ferries created this package of cuts and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure approved it.  The 'team' is delivering it to us on December 11th, and BC Ferries needs to come back to the community and explain the rationale for the new schedule.

Second, regarding the April 1st, 2014 timing, take a look at this excerpt from the Coastal Ferry Services Contract:

Ferry Schedules

4.12    Commencing on April 1, 2008 and continuing every six (6) months thereafter, BC Ferries will make available its Published Schedule, which may be revised for operational considerations, for each Designated Ferry Route for the following twelve (12) months.

If BC Ferries and the Ministry had any regard the contract, the change date wouldn't be April 1st, 2014.  The absolute soonest it could be, would be April 1st, 2015.  To try to do it as is happening now is a blatant violation of the Contract, which nobody seems to care about.

In closing, the FACC will be putting out a number of news releases over the next few weeks regarding this process, so please stayed tuned for more important information.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call...

Best Regards...

Keith Rush, Ferry Advisory Committee Chemainus-Thetis-Penelakut

keithrush17@gmail.com

Ph: 250-416-0013

Cell: 250-732-2766

Voting Reminder! Today at Forbes Hall ~ Dec. 3rd

Today at Forbes Hall 8AM ~ 8PM for advance voting.

Last day to vote will be December 7th at Pioneer Pacific Camp.

Pet Care Needed

Looking for pet care during our next holiday in Mexico from Dec 16th till Jan 10th

small and healthy mix breed dog, well educated and friendly

urgently help needed and help will be rewarded 

please contact Manuel or Doina

250 246 2730

Thetis Island Marina & Pub ~ Dinner & Movie Night Dec. 3

This Friday we are offering our famous & delicious Fish Tacos for the bargain price of $7.95

To complement the food -

a special on a glass of white wine for $3.95, or a pint of Bud lite for $3.95

These are great savings!

Food served from 3pm until 6pm

with the movie (TBA) starting around 5pm

Everyone Welcome ☺

Pending Arctic Outbreak ~

The latest information concerning the pending arctic outbreak is that it will be bringing a rain/snow mix, most probably snow of 5 to 15 cm to our area on Sunday evening, accompanied by high winds.  By Monday afternoon the skies should clear but we will be sitting in arctic air that may go down to -8 C.  It would be a good idea to check your generators for fuel, the anti-freeze in your vehicles, and have ice-melt and a snow shovel ready.  Some people spray WD40 on the car door rubber weather strips and in their door locks to keep them from freezing.  With possible high winds and ice we may be facing power interruptions.  If we do have accumulations of snow, please consider your age and health before deciding to shovel.  Talk to your neighbours.

Thetis Island Fire Dept.

FollowUp Note in Response to the Above Article: from George Demetre regarding WD40

I would not use WD40 on rubber. It can dry in up and cause brittleness. Use lock de-icer, which has alcohol, on the locks. If I was concerned about freezing rubber, I would research using Vaseline.

A temperature of -8C should not be a problem for the cars on Thetis. Maybe -25C.

Writing this from Calgary, where it will get to -25 by Wednesday.

Stay home, throw another log in the fire, and sip on hot rum toddy.

Canadian Red Cross Typhoon Haiyan Relief

Thanks to all who donated to the Red Cross, at Soup's On. 

Gratefully appreciated!

Ann Dickie

Soup's On ~ December 4th

Wednesday, December 4th

Forbes Hall 11:30AM ~ 1:00PM or 'til we run out!

Menu:

Cream of Carrot with Ginger

Tuscan Peasant Soup with Rosemary & Pancetta

Double Ginger Scones

Brownies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Tea & Pot of Gold Coffee

$5 Minimum Donation

See you Wednesday.

For more information on Soup's On, click here.

November 27th ~ Thetis Island Marina serves up Soup's On & Bridge!

Due to the CVRD Advance Poll at Forbes Hall on November 27th, Soup's On needed to be cancelled for the day. The Bridge Club couldn't play cards, either.  Virginia Lamb & Janice Young put their heads together and came up with a plan!  How about moving it to Thetis Island Marina for a one-time event?  Being the good neighbours that they are, the Marina said "Come on over! We'd love to have you!"

Thanks to Thetis Island Marina & Pub for making this happen ~ Thetis loves their Soup's On, and doesn't like to miss out!

So without further ado, here's the plan!

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2013

SOUP’S ON  ~ 11:30AM - 1:00PM

BRIDGE  ~  1:00PM - 4:00PM

WILL BE HELD AT THETIS ISLAND MARINA & PUB

Due to all-day advanced polling at Forbes Hall,

Thetis Island Marina & Pub is hosting both Soup’s On and Bridge ☺

We will be serving two homemade soups:

~Split-pea with ham~

~Many-bean vegetarian~

 with fresh bread for $5.00

Family room for folk with youngsters!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

CNHA ~ Adopt a Family Program

I'm a member of the Chemainus Neighborhood House Association and I received their annual request to support the "Adopt-A-Family" donations program that they run at Christmas. In the past, Thetis Elementary school has organized donations from our community, which was very much appreciated by CNHA and it was a good experience for the kids.

I'm willing to facilitate the donations again through the school but first wanted to check if anyone else is already planning to donate or coordinate something for CNHA? If so, we will happily support your efforts, but if not we would like to offer in our modest way to ensure Thetis Islanders have a convenient opportunity to donate. Please contact me ASAP if you are already planning to coordinate something on behalf of the community so we can pool efforts and make it easy as possible for our community.

Many thanks,

Kelly Bannister

kelly_bannister@telus.net or 250-246-9753

FACC ~ Ferry Rescue Plan Shows Cracks

22 NOVEMBER 2013 –  The provincial government's own information shows that the ferry rescue plan unveiled by Transportation Minister Todd Stone this week is based on numbers that don't add up to a solution. 

The Ferry Advisory Committee Chairs (FACC) are being asked to help tweak schedules to make the plan more workable. But no amount of tweaking will change the fact that the cuts to service and to seniors' discounts are side issues. The root problems remain. 

"Even after the cuts, the system will still be unaffordable, unsustainable, and spiralling into deeper trouble. The government is causing people hardship without much to show for it, says Brian Hollingshead of the Southern Gulf Islands. "Tweaking won't change that." 

About a million British Columbians live in coastal areas that depend on ferries. "The government is starting to roll up essential transportation in this region without analysing impacts," says Tony Law of Hornby-Denman. "Cutting service that people have come to rely on to get to work and contribute to the economy requires more than cursory consultation."

The FACC were briefed on the government plan this week. It appears to be based on several unsupported estimates.

·    The plan is based on traffic staying at 2011-2012 levels. This is already inaccurate. Traffic has already fallen below this point, which means there is already a new revenue shortfall, which is likely to grow with each new annual fare increase and related traffic decline.

·    There appears to be no business case for the cuts, no analysis of their impact on jobs, and no analysis of the economic and social costs to individuals, communities and the province, including a comparison of those costs to the $14 million in cuts to non-major routes.

·    The plan estimates that 75 percent of traffic from the runs that are cut, on average, will be redirected to other runs. There appears to be no data or analysis to support this figure.

·    The plan estimates that the change to the senior's discount will reduce seniors' traffic by 15 percent. Evidence from the UK on the effects of seniors discounts suggests the loss will be greater. And it is unclear if the plan accounts for lost revenue from vehicle fares that seniors would have paid on the foregone trips.

·    Minister Todd Stone says the ferry system will face a revenue gap between $120 million and $200 million in the next contract term, starting in 2016. There is no evidence that the rescue plan will close that gap, while there is some evidence to suggest the gap will grow wider.

·    The government chose the dollar amounts in the plan (for service cuts, operational efficiencies, and capital infusion) so that fare increases would be limited to 4 percent a year. But by 2016, the pressure on fares will be even greater than it is now. Something else will have to give to keep fares from growing even faster.

In the business world, cutting costs to stay ahead of falling revenue, without also fixing the cause of the falling revenue, is a path to business failure. The cause of falling revenue for ferries is unaffordable fares and traffic decline, and chronic government underfunding.  The rescue plan does not fix this. Nor does it offer the FACC or coastal residents enough data and information to let them offer alternatives to the flawed government plan.

The FACC ask the government to work with community representatives and local governments to find ways to fix the core problem with the system, to build a vision for the BC coast and a more solid plan for its essential transportation.

CONTACTS

Tony Law | Hornby-Denman | 250-405-5151/250-335-1155 | tlaw1@telus.net

Brian Hollingshead | S. Gulf Islands | 250-539-5191 / 604-421-5804 | hollingshead@telus.net

Harold Swierenga | Salt Spring Island | 250-653-4950 | haroldswierenga@gmail.com

Ian Cameron | Brentwood-Mill Bay | 250-652-1260 | ianc@uvic.ca

Keith Rush | Thetis-Penelakut | 250-416-0013 | keithrush17@gmail.com

John Hodgkins | Gabriola | 250-325-5646 | john@islandtransportsolutions.com

Alison Morse | Bowen Island | 604-947-9875 | amm5@shaw.ca

Joyce Clegg | Gambier-Keats | 604-886-2763 | jaclegg@primesignal.com

Barry Cavens | S. Sunshine Coast | 604-886-8696 | bcavens@dccnet.com

Bill Cripps | N. Sunshine Coast | 604-485-6563 | wccripps@telus.net

Paul Ryan | Quadra-Cortes | 250-285-3896 | pryan@island.net

Jo Mrozewski | Alert Bay-Sointula | 250-974-9913 | jo@runninglight.ca

Evan Putterill | North and Central Coast | 250-637-2466 / 5711 | sqcrd.area.e.director@live.com 

BACKGROUND

SERVICE CUTS VS TRAFFIC LOSSES

A comparison of savings from service cuts with losses from traffic drop

http://facchairs.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/service-cuts-vs-traffic-losses/

AN UNNECESSARY CRISIS

FACC submission to the BC government budget 2014 consultations

http://facchairs.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/facc-submission-to-bc-budget-2014-consultation/

http://www.facchairs.wordpress.com

Times Colonist Article ~ BC Ferries Cuts

Click here to view article.

Chemainus Fire Dept ~ Christmas Craft Fair