6458 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

That’s why I have called for a “free” bus to the terminal. Raise the walk on fare to pay for it.

[splashflash]

But yeah, there are so many walk-ons now that the parking lot can’t handle the demand.

The bus service on both sides of the Strait/Sea is robust. Perhaps a shuttle could serve the parking lot with service to Sydney and a park and ride there? People would want the shuttle free, of course, like the YVR Main to South terminal partly subsidized by the airlines like Pacific Coastal at the south terminal.

[Ismo07]

That’s why I have called for a “free” bus to the terminal. Raise the walk on fare to pay for it.

 

You'll really have to raise the rate to park in the lot rather than raise the walk on amount.  Use extra revenue in the lot to pay for the bus...  Free bus won't get many people out of cars, but a higher parking rate might (thought i doubt it)..

[Victoria Watcher]

Free bus might reduce the number of drop offs and pickups too. Perhaps reducing the short term parking requirement.

[Mike K.]

You'll really have to raise the rate to park in the lot rather than raise the walk on amount. Use extra revenue in the lot to pay for the bus... Free bus won't get many people out of cars, but a higher parking rate might (thought i doubt it)..

That’s inequitable and ableist.

[Barrister]

Only allow people who have biked there to get on the ferry and they have to be wearing an orange shirt. Problem fixed,

[Mike K.]

My ferry from the mainland has security guards (or one guard, but maybe two?) on it. I’ve never seen that before. Is this a new role to have visible security? It’s a contracted company and not BCF.

[Matt R.]

I’ve seen that on ferries before, yeah, not very often though.

[max.bravo]

Bc ferries has had that in place for at least 10 years. If it’s the same company it used to be, Western K9 is contracted to spend a number of hours there - some in terminals, some on ferries, sometimes overnights etc.

[Mike K.]

Oh? Interesting. First time I’ve ever encountered it.

[Victoria Watcher]

Seaspan says government needs to financially support shipbuilding or ferries will not be built in B.C.

 

 

The company notes that other provinces, such as Quebec, support their shipyards by requiring vessels to be built domestically and providing tax credits, forgivable loans and grants

https://www.timescol...t-in-bc-9579238

[lanforod]

Hmm. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

I agree that the playing field is not level, but can SeaSpan or any BC builder compete with the big Dutch, Polish or German shipyards?

 

There is an economic benefit to building them here, to be sure, and I'd agree that its fair to match other provinces subsidizing when awarding the contract - if the expected benefit to BC is greater than the subsidy, but outside of Canada I don't know we can do that financially and it could well have political/trade implications too, right?

Edited by lanforod, 27 September 2024 - 12:44 PM.

[LJ]

Quebec and Nova Scotia get big federal subsidies to build boats, none of that largesse makes it out west.

[lanforod]

Yet I recall BCF said there have been no Canadian bids for new ferry contracts in a long time. Maybe since the Fast Cats.

[Matt R.]

Don’t they always say the shipyards are too busy and booked for years to come as the reason they can’t build them here?

[lanforod]

Yeah maybe. But I'm not surprised they change their tune when talking about a billion dollar+ contract over 10 years as oppose to 100m over 3.

[max.bravo]

It’s been a while since I was in the marine industry, but my understanding is it’s the same there as every other industry. You can’t cheaply manufacture goods of any size here (incl ferries, cars, houses, products, etc.) because unions, safety regulations, and taxes drive up costs so much. It’s a non starter without massive gov subsidies.

[Victoria Watcher]

BC Ferries urged to incentivise use of local content in new vessels

Seaspan says Canadian shipyards and their supply chains cannot compete with low wage countries

https://www.vicnews....vessels-7557790

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 28 September 2024 - 01:22 PM.

[Mike K.]

A colleague was telling me a 12-storey concrete tower being built by a colleague of his on Colombia, has a construction budget of $135CAD/foot. Compare that to $600 here.

It’s not just labour that is more, it’s every screw and sheet of paper and input that is more. Then the taxes. Always the taxes.

[lanforod]

Well, it’s B.C. vs Quebec vs Europe. Europe is apparently a lot cheaper but I guess those large shipyards in Germany, Romania and Poland are not unionized.