CBC News - Mar 10, 2015
Wabana Mayor Gary Gosine says there's growing anticipation and hope throughout Bell Island as efforts to modernize the ferry service draw closer to reality.
The provincial government announced Tuesday that it was calling tenders for wharf upgrades on Bell Island and in Portugal Cove.
It's all in preparation for the February 2016 arrival of a brand new ferry, the MV Legionnaire, which is expected to dramatically increase the reliability and capacity of the service.
Gosine said the new ferry and docking infrastructure represents the future of Bell Island. He called it the most significant development on the island since the iron ore mine ceased operation in 1966.
"This is the resurrection of Bell Island," Gosine said. "It's a new beginning."
Service blamed for stunting growth
Gosine expects the enhanced ferry service will lure former residents back to Bell Island, serve as a catalyst for economic growth and tourism, and improve the day-to-day lives of residents, especially those who commute to and from work on the Northeast Avalon.
The Bell Island ferry service is the busiest in the province, carrying more than 530,000 passengers annually and close to 250,000 vehicles.
Bell Island residents have long complained about the quality of the service, with many blaming it for stunting growth at a time when much of the region is flourishing.
Gosine expects that will now change, but he is cautioning that there will be some short-term challenges as the wharf project is carried out.
This is "come home year" in Wabana, the largest community on the island, and traffic levels are expected to be high.
On Bell Island, plans call for a new adjustable ramp to be constructed, and there will be some harbour dredging.
In Portugal Cove, work will include a 40-metre extension of the existing wharf along the inside of the breakwater, and a new mechanical loading ramp. There will also be some dredging.
Some $10 million was allotted for the wharf repairs.
One of two ferries being built
The new ferry is being built in Romania by a Dutch company called Damen Shipyards Group, and is scheduled to arrive in February 2016. The contract is valued at just under $50 million.
The MV Legionnaire will be 80 metres long with roll-on, roll-off capacity to carry up to 200 passengers and 60 vehicles.
It will nearly double the vehicle capacity of The Flanders, one of two vessels currently on the run.
An official with the Department of Transportation and Works said two vessels will continue to serve the run, though which one has not yet been determined.
Meanwhile, a sister ship to the Legionnaire is also under construction for the Fogo Island, Change Islands ferry service. It is scheduled for delivery in September, though a name for the ferry has not yet been announced.
Wharf infrastructure for that service was mostly completed in 2014.
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CHEK News - March 5, 2015
The public and political outcry over BC Ferries being excluded from billions in federal infrastructure money continues to grow. Federal opposition leaders are vowing to take up the fight and so too is the Canadian Ferry Association. But as Tess van Straaten reports, no one knows whether Ottawa will hear British Columbia’s plea.
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Manitoulin Expositor - March 4, 2015
OWEN SOUND—The Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC) is hoping the weather will play nice for the scheduled May 1 start of the Chi-Cheemaun ferry season, although the frigid winter has dimmed those hopes slightly with memories of last year’s errant ice flows still fresh in the mind. But when she does begin her regular traverses from the Bruce Peninsula, passengers will discover the ship’s operators have not been idle through the winter months.
Marketing gurus Cleansheet Communications of Toronto have been working diligently on the creative content, while placement wizards Zenith Optimedia have been strategizing on the target markets and reaching audiences with a new marketing strategy for the ferry since being hired last fall. The new marketing campaign will incorporate Manitoulin as a key element that will be integral its success.
“We have one of the best islands in the world,” said OSTC CEO and President Susan Schrempf. “It is a great place to slow down and soak it all in.”
Among the changes that have been taking place over the winter has been a complete revamp of the venerable ferry’s washrooms. “They have been completely gutted and modernized,” said Ms. Schrempf. “We took them right down to the studs and they have all been redone and modernized, brand spanking and new, they are going to be gorgeous.” The CEO noted that the washrooms had been literally unchanged since the ferry went into service. “It is time,” she said.
The gift shop has been expanded by 125 square feet and will feature merchandise that includes the uniquely iconic ferry as well as local Native handicrafts and artisanal works. “We are going back to our roots,” noted Ms. Schrempf. “After all the name is the ‘big canoe’ in Anishnaabe.”
The OSTC is also working closely with Parks Canada to improve the onboard displays and tourism experience. Leveraging the region’s connection with The Group of Seven and other aspects of the development of Canada’s cultural identity will make the trip a desirable part of learning and celebrating our history and art.
As part of the new approach to marketing the ferry, the OSTC is hiring a new full time experience manager whose concentration will be on marketing the experiences being created with the ferry and Manitoulin as the centerpieces. “The position is being advertised and we hope to be hiring within the next couple of weeks,” said Ms. Schrempf. The successful candidate will be travelling to trade shows and conventions to market the ferry, and by intricate connection the Manitoulin region, in key targeted markets.
The dining room is also undergoing extensive renovations in preparation for a complete revamp of the dining experience next year.
The future holds even more promise. While digital efforts are concentrating on revamping the ferry website to make it more useful and user friendly this year, future plans include an app that will be accessible onboard and across Manitoulin acting as a digital roadmap and virtual signage.
“Of course the concentration has to be on the website first,” said Ms. Schrempf, but she admitted to being very excited about the app, which will highlight the many interesting things to see and do across Manitoulin Island. The app is expected to be ready next year and will contain very specific information on sights, events and experiences available across the Island.
The successful Destination Manitoulin discount program will continue and expand. “We will continue to build upon Destination Manitoulin,” said Ms. Schrempf, with new accommodation providers and retailers coming on board with each passing week.
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CHEK News - March 3, 2015
The BC government is trying to pressure Ottawa to get some federal funds for BC Ferries. Billions of dollars are up for grabs under a new Building Canada Fund. But baffling rules around the funding are shutting BC Ferries out. Tess van Straaten explains.
See video here.
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Vancouver Sun, March 2, 2015
But Infrastructure Canada says ferry corporation ‘indeed eligible to apply for’ money
VICTORIA — The B.C. government is lobbying Ottawa to change the “baffling” funding rules that have shut out BC Ferries from federal financial support for its terminals and ships.
Transportation Minister Todd Stone said Monday he continues to press his federal counterparts to alter eligibility criteria for the $53-billion New Building Canada fund, so that BC Ferries and the province can make a joint pitch for federal money.
“The ferry infrastructure in British Columbia is so critical to our economy and communities and the social fabric of our province, it’s somewhat baffling that it isn’t included in the current criteria,” Stone said in an interview.
Obtaining federal funding could ease the financial strain on BC Ferries and potentially lessen future fare hikes.
The quasi-private corporation is awash in debt, struggling with low ridership and facing a $3-billion capital plan over the next 12 years to upgrade its aging terminals and fleet of ferries. The independent ferry commissioner is set to cap future fare increases later this month.
Technically, Infrastructure Canada says BC Ferries can apply for money.
“I can confirm, that BC Ferries is indeed eligible to apply for the New Building Canada funds,” said Michele-Jamali Paquette, director of communications for Infrastructure Minister Denis Lebel. “However, the eligibility of the project would depend entirely on the project they would submit.”
A list of eligible categories on the New Building Canada fund website includes one called Public Transit Infrastructure.
But an analysis by BC Ferries and the province has shown that even if the ferry corporation applied, their terminals and ships wouldn’t fit into any funding categories.
“We’ve been advised on numerous occasions from the federal government that ferry infrastructure, including terminal upgrades and vessel replacements, are not eligible. They don’t fit within any of the existing eligibility requirements,” said Stone.
“That being said, I’ve mentioned this on several occasions to federal ministers face-to-face including [federal Transport Minister] Lisa Raitt and Minister Denis Lebel.
“I’ve also brought it up in other conversations at the federal level that British Columbia believes the criteria for the Build Canada Fund should be expanded to include ferry infrastructure.”
BC Ferries currently receives almost $30 million annually from Ottawa in an operating subsidy, in addition to $177 million from the B.C. government.
“In order to apply for funding under this federal program, BC Ferries must apply through the provincial government,” BC Ferries said in a statement.
“BC Ferries has had discussions with the province and has been told that it doesn’t fit under the categories; however, the two parties continue to pursue this matter.”
BC Ferries said it’s also working with the Canadian Ferry Association to see if it can access any of the federal funding.
Jim Abram, chairman of the Strathcona Regional District on mid-Vancouver Island, said he took the issue to several B.C. MPs from the federal Conservative government last month and was told BC Ferries was absolutely eligible for the money under the public transit category. BC Ferries should just apply, said Abram.
“It’s hard to imagine from my perspective they’d turn down any available money,” he said.
Stone said the B.C. government reiterated its position on ferry funding in a recent submission to a federal panel reviewing transportation laws, chaired by former cabinet minister David Emerson.
“From a provincial perspective we raise it on every occasion we possibly can,” said Stone. “We think it makes common sense.”
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LNG Industry - February 27, 2015
Davie, Canada’s largest shipbuilder, celebrated the keel-laying ceremony for the first LNG-powered ferry to be built in North America.
The ceremony market the beginning of the hull assembly for MV Armand-Imbeau II, the first of two sister ships under construction at Davie for the Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ).
The two ferries for the Tadoussac-Baie-Sainte-Catherine route are built for year-round navigation on the Saguenay Fjord. Measuring 92 m in length, each vessel will include eight rows on two decks, enabling the transport of up to 110 vehicles. LNG engines will power the ferries.
The MV Armand-Imbeau II is scheduled for delivery in the autumn of 2015, followed by the MV Jos-Deschênes II, four months later.
Alan Bowen, Davie’s CEO, commented: “We are very proud of the progress made. It is Davie’s ability to constantly deliver on time and to budget that lead to Davie being voted as North America’s number one shipyard at the Lloyd’s List North American Maritime Awards 2015, last week in Houston. Ferry construction is and has always been core business for Davie. The STQ ferries incorporate many of the technologies in which we specialise for example LNG propulsion, electrical thruster systems and high ice-class hulls.”
Jean D’Amour, Minister for Transport and the Implementation of the Maritime Strategy, added: “With the upcoming unveiling of the Maritime Strategy, this ceremony has a very particular significance for my government. With the construction of two ships for the Tadoussac crossing, the STQ continues the process of renewing its fleet, using an efficient green technology, which will allow users to broaden their experience on board its ferries. Chantier Davie provides its expertise for the benefit of the whole community, an expertise that will largely be used within the context of the very first Quebec Maritime Strategy.”
Jocelyn Fortier, CEO of STQ, explained that the two new ferries will allow for an improved offering of crossing services. “The two current ferries for the Tadoussac crossing, put into service in the [19]80s, marked a new era, mainly with the activation of the gangway from the wheelhouse. Even in 2015, 35 years later we are breaking new ground with the construction of two ferries with green technology and increased capacity. They will be the first LNG-propelled ferries built in North America. This technology and several other innovations on board will enable the Société des traversiers du Québec to be on the cutting edge of the maritime transportation of passengers in North America.”
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Les Leyne – Times Colonist – Feb 26
Most of those who signed the petition presented this week demanding B.C. Ferries be moved under direct government control did so thinking a major change is what’s needed.
But there’s already a major change underway that will have far more impact than redrawing the lines of authority between the ferry system and the government, regardless of whether it succeeds or fails.
It’s the multimillion-dollar computer upgrade that will pave the way for an entirely new fare system on the major routes. Under the fare flexibility and digital experience initiative, reservations will be the preferred option, with the extra charge dropped. The show-and-go model under which the system has operated its entire life will become an option that passengers will have to pay more to use.
The independent ferry commission recently gave the initial approval for the project and released its full reasons for the decision this week.
It’s the start of a long, expensive conversion of the kind that have turned into nightmares for other public-sector bodies that have attempted them. And B.C. Ferries is attempting two at the same time. A parallel “automated customer experience” program, which also involves upgrades and changing other aspects of the business model, is also underway.
As described by the commission, it will replace the ferries website with a new interdependent IT system that will sell passengers all kinds of services and handle online transactions. It will also involve a new revenue-management system to forecast traffic and generate pricing recommendations.
“Leveraging this capability, B.C. Ferries intends to influence customer behaviour and further achieve goals such as capacity optimization and/or revenue generation,” says the commission.
The commission said the objective is to improve affordability by reducing pressure for future fare hikes. It said the company knows its current pricing and outdated IT systems are significant barriers. The business model has been fixed for decades; customers buy tickets on departure and pay one set price. The only innovations in the last 20 years were the reservation system, at a premium price, and assured loading, also at a premium.
The company told the commissioner the rigid old technology limits its ability to design attractive and relevant pricing. It wants to appeal to different groups with different fare options and make discounted fares available, but it needs a new computer system to do so.
When advance-purchase pricing options are available, more customers are expected to use them, but some capacity will always be held open for the traditional “show and go” passengers.
The commission said additional sailings are now ordered during busy times at the discretion of operations managers, according to traffic buildup. But it requires ships and crews to be on standby, with associated costs.
It’s considered inefficient and “only works to reduce the duration of sailing waits, rather than to prevent them.” If passengers are persuaded to book and buy ahead, capacity and demand will be matched more accurately, and the number of discretionary sailings can be reduced.
The big risks to the conversion are lower-than-expected traffic growth, and cost overruns.
The commission concluded traffic-growth projections in the three to five per cent range are reasonable, but even if it’s half that, the project is viable.
As for cost overruns, commission approval would be required for the company to spend anything over the amount approved. (It’s currently confidential, since costs are being negotiated. But it’s believed to be in the $30-million range.)
The application was open for public input over Christmas and got 102 responses, a high rate.
The commission found there is overall support for the change, but there are major concerns. Some think it won’t work on minor routes, so the commission said there should be comprehensive consultation before the reservation system is extended beyond the bigger routes.
There is also a worry that cancelling the current reservation fee would lead to more fare hikes, but the commission said the complicated price cap it sets on fare hikes should ease that concern.
Another fare hike of four per cent is coming in April. The schedule of hikes for the next several years depends on the next price cap, which is expected to be announced in mid-March.
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Feb 26 - Western Star
Marine Atlantic announced Wednesday a 30 per cent reduction in price for the North Sydney, N.S., to Argentia ferry service starting today, a move which Liberal MP for Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte Gerry Byrne says he applauds.
He has just one expectation — the discount should be applied “equally and across the board” to the Gulf ferry service from North Sydney to Port aux Basques as well.
Byrne said there’s no reasonable explanation that can be given as to why a 30 per cent rate cut should be offered exclusively to the Argentia run, but not to the constitutionally-obligated Gulf service. That run, he said, is the service for which every person in the province pays a surcharge every time they buy perishable goods or medicine.
He also questioned how, on the same day an 85 per cent cut in Marine Atlantic’s annual operating budget was announced, a 30 per cent rate reduction can also be announced.
“This just shows the Government of Canada and Marine Atlantic are totally out of control with what should happen for our Gulf ferry services and their ability to manage them efficiently and effectively,” he said.
Chris Noseworthy, meanwhile, feels the rate reduction amounts to an unfair subsidy for the east coast of the island.
Noseworthy, who serves as president of the Greater Corner Brook Board of Trade, doesn’t believe it’s likely the discount will bring in much new traffic to the province. Therefore, he said, the increase would come from traffic that would have otherwise driven through western Newfoundland and availed themselves of tourism opportunities during the summer months.
“If Marine Atlantic has any success with this by increasing traffic on the Argentia run, that success is going to come at the expense of western Newfoundland and central Newfoundland,” he said.
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We are pleased to announce that Traversiers Bourbonnais has joined CFA.
Traversiers Bourbonnais operates ferries between Montebellow and Lefaivre.
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