VICTORIA (NEWS1130) - A Vancouver Island ferry advisory committee is recommending the provincial government reduce the price of taking
BC Ferries to get more people on board.
Brian Hollingshead with the
Southern Gulf Islands Group says it's economics 101. He adds high fares have deterred people from crossing the water, ultimately damaging the local tourism and manufacturing businesses.
"Visitors will see it right away, "Yeah, that sounds like a reasonable thing, let's go over to Victoria for the day. We're trying to undo some of the damage to traffic in the communities that have been caused by the fare increases over the last eight years."
He doesn't agree with the commissioner's recent proposal to increase the rate by about four per cent in April.
"We think there is a correction needed. Bring it down by about 20 to 25 per cent and then you'll see people start to return to the system. If we keep going up, then we don't think they'll achieve their objective."
The group will meet with Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom next month to about their ideas.