A rural director says there needs to be an open-minded discussion regarding any future relocation of the Balfour ferry dock.
The east shore’s Garry Jackman wants the long-term planning process to start with the Ministry of Transportation this fall when the RDCK meets officials during the UBCM. That’s because he says having a fast, efficient and safe service in future is what everyone wants and it takes years to plan things.
He says currently the ferries have to slow down as they enter the narrows at Balfour.
Jackman says the local communities need to inform the province of all the positives and negatives of any possible dock change especially with a new, perhaps larger ferry replacing the ageing MV Balfour in future. He says that may take ten years but the planning needs to start now.
He adds “you can’t just say ‘this is the way we’ve always done it’ “.
Jackman says traffic demand is increasing and when the larger Osprey vessel is out of commission for maintenance things get really backed up.