BC Ferries is advising customers that due to current fuel market conditions, the company will implement a fuel surcharge of 1.5 per cent on June 1. BC Ferries closely monitors the cost of fuel and applies a rebate or surcharge, or neither, under a regulatory process that is independent of fares. Here is an example of what a 1.5 per cent fuel surcharge will be: 25 cents for an adult and 85 cents for a vehicle on the Metro Vancouver – Vancouver Island routes, and 15 cents for an adult and 45 cents for a vehicle on a variety of inter-island routes. Over the past 15 years, BC Ferries has been using a fuel rebate/surcharge mechanism to manage the volatility in the price of fuel. When fuel prices are lower, BC Ferries passes lower fuel prices on to customers through a fuel rebate. When fuel prices are higher, BC Ferries charges a fuel surcharge specifically designed to cover the additional cost of fuel. There have also been periods with neither. The company does not ben…

Own of a piece of Salt Spring history! Buy the current Crofton - Vesuvius Ferry, the Howe Sound Queen! Currently in operation until 1st week in June, 2019 where it will be removed from service and kept warm and in operational state until ownership change. Reason for being auctioned, scheduled for replacement. The Howe Sound Queen was built in 1964 in Marine Industries Ltd., Quebec. The asset is being sold as listed. You are invited to place a bid with the information provided, if the information provided does not meet your satisfaction, we suggest you do not bid. The onus will be on the winning bidder to prepare all documentation for export with no assistance from the seller. The asset(s) sold under this contract is/are being sold ‘as is’ and is not represented as being mechanically sound or maintained at any guaranteed level of quality. The asset may not be fit for use and may require substantial repairs at the buyer’s expense. Make a bid at govdeals.ca …

I often get asked about EV Chargers. The EV Group has worked diligently to encourage merchants around Salt Spring to install Level 2 Chargers that are mostly free to use (some have donation boxes - please use them). The charging stations are primarily for tourists, but are also intended for our use. I’ll take this opportunity to thank the business owners again for their generous support. However, is this where you would charge your new EV? Not exclusively, that would be totally uncool. So what options do you have? The first thing to say is that charging is easy. Just like you plug in your lap-top or phone when you get home, you will mostly charge your EV the same way, at home. Come out in the morning to a full charge. A lot of people are bothered because it can take hours to charge a big battery, but the truth is that you are mostly asleep and the total ‘charging time’ is the time it takes you to plug in and unplug your car. Less than 60 seconds. How long will it take to …

magniX, a major player in the electric aviation revolution, and Harbour Air who merged with Salt Spring Air in 2015, now North America’s largest seaplane airline, announced a partnership to transform Harbour Air seaplanes into an all-electric commercial fleet powered by the magni500, a 750-horsepower (HP) all-electric motor. The transformed Harbour Air seaplanes will be powered by the magni500, a 750-horsepower all-electric motor made by magniX. Operating 12 routes between hubs like Seattle and Vancouver and across the Pacific Northwest, Harbour Air welcomes more than 500,000 passengers on 30,000 commercial flights each year. Through this partnership, both companies are furthering the vision to some day connect communities with clean, efficient and affordable electric air travel. “Harbour Air first demonstrated its commitment to sustainability by becoming the first fully carbon-neutral airline in North America in 2007, through the purchase of carbon offsets,” said Greg M…

Community input used to shape long-term plan - BC Ferries released the Swartz Bay Terminal Development Plan (TDP) today. The TDP outlines a long-term vision for the terminal’s future, and a phased approach for implementing the changes envisioned in the plan. BC Ferries employees will be at the terminal from April 10 to 13 to share the TDP with travellers and provide information to customers on how the company incorporated their feedback. Some examples include the development of proposed cycling routes for cyclists entering and leaving the terminal, thoughts on a waterfront park and improved circulation for the pick-up/drop-off areas. The TDP is a 25-year vision for the future of the terminal. Implementation will occur in phases, with the first phase starting in the early 2020s. This phase will focus on improving road access, parking and pick-up/drop-off areas. This area is a priority to ensure BC Ferries continues to meet the operational demands of this busy terminal and …

I am writing as Manager of Salt Spring Marina for the past 30 years. From my perspective, our summers have been getting busier, and I have had to turn boats away. There is no where else for them to go, so they anchor in the harbour and come ashore by dinghy to enjoy the wealth of activities on Salt Spring. While at anchor, they most likely dump their sewage in the harbour, because they cannot easily get to shore facilities. We have been planning Salt Spring Marina’s expansion and renovation for many years. Every year, we have inspected the docks, and refitted them to withstand the hard winters we have been experiencing. Because of our diligence, we have had minor damage compared to other marinas on Salt Spring Island. However, it is time for new docks to be installed, docks that are engineered and built to withstand the winds and waves, so that the boats in our marina are well protected. The new marina will be Cleanest and Greenest on the BC coast. It is being built by a …

This winter we have seen our share of challenging weather. I have often been asked how EVs manage in snow and slush and on icy roads. And what about the range?? So here’s my take on driving an EV in the winter. First…Creature comforts. In an EV, use the heated seats and if you have one, the steering wheel heaters. They work really well, and a warm bum and hands helps you to stay warm without having a really hot cabin. The cabin heat and defogger use a bit of juice, so I keep the cabin at a low set temperature, and cycle the defogger on and off. Better yet, if you have access to your car via your phone, pre-warm the cabin before you leave for the day or before heading out from your performance at ArtSpring. You will lose distance during the Winter months. The combination of reduced battery efficiency and reduced re-generative braking, increased use of headlights, heater, high friction winter tires, all take their toll. But you get used to it very quickly and the…

Promoting Sustainable Transportation on Salt Spring Island ~ I am pleased to announce that the ArtSpring EV chargers are back in operation.  This was the first EV Charger on SSI and has been working reliably for 6 years. The original wands (the thing that plugs into your car) wore out from overuse (which is kind of a good thing - wink).  The new wands are far superior to the original ones.  Larger contacts - better materials, etc. I would like to thank Julian Sale of Motorize - Your EV Store, for sourcing the wands and doing the replacement work at no charge, Jeff Chamberland of Bearfoot Renewables for the removal and re-installation and Erin at ArtSpring for running the panel. This is a good time to remind folks that ArtSpring does not own the chargers, Transition Salt Spring does.  The EV group (a sub-group of TSS) tries to provide funding via the donation box to cover the electricity usage, repairs, eventual replacement, and signage (behind the c…

Government is increasing service on 10 ferry routes that were cut in 2014, restoring 2,700 round-trip sailings for people living in coastal communities. “For years people living in coastal communities saw ferry fares increase and services cut,” said Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “Quality, affordable ferry services are a necessity not a luxury for people in coastal communities. That’s why we’ve turned the ship around – first by rolling back ferry fares on small coastal routes and now by reversing cuts to services that were making it difficult for people to get around.” The minister announced these service changes and released the Redlin report, a comprehensive operating review of the coastal ferry service that identifies opportunities to improve services under the current model. The ministry has been working with BC Ferries to respond to the BC Ferry Advisory Committee chairs’ request to restore some services cut in 2014 and have reached…

Night work is required on the evening of January 29, 2019 to remove a right angle drive on the MV Skeena Queen. The work is done at night time to prevent a service interruption. The work is scheduled to take place between 9:35 pm Tuesday January 29 and 5:30 am Wednesday January 30. All efforts will be made to minimize the level and duration of the noise. BC Ferries appreciates the patience and understanding of our customers and neighbor’s as we perform this required work at Fulford Harbour.

Stewart Road Washout Repair Update - 2019 February 01 from Mark Lucich: The first photo shows that they have removed the pavement from the culvert up hill to driveway 287 and lowered the ground lever about 5 feet. This was done Monday and by yesterday they had covered the dirt with gravel and a heavy duty ground cloth. If I understand correctly, they will do the same downhill to driveway 267. Then cover that back up. Supposedly, Stewart will be driveable, with a gravel surface, by next Friday. I do wonder what impact the weather will have on their plans. Stewart Road Washout Repair Update - 2019 January 24 from Mark Lucich: The first photo shows all the old culvert in the background and you can see the new pipe sticking out. Brush is piled up on the left side ditch as they have cleaned out the uphill side in preparation of adding the last piece of pipe that is not on site yet. You can also note the excavator in the "hole" is not that much lower than the excavator…

Sustainable Regional Tourism is on its way…. Year-round destination experiences that build a more sustainable tourism model are being embraced locally. On September 19th the Capital Regional District (CRD) Board gave the go ahead for the soon to be formed, independent, non-profit Southern Gulf Island Tourism Partnership (SGITP). Having local government support for joint Salt Spring Island (SSI) and Southern Gulf Islands (SGI) tourism sector management will lead to sustainable year-round tourism that will also enhance the local economy. The Southern Gulf Island Tourism Partnership (SGITP) will be a tourism stakeholder-lead organization representing the tourism industry, community stakeholders, local government, and First Nations. The vision is to develop sustainable, year-round destination experiences that reflect our natural, environmental and cultural uniqueness, as well as promote improved community economics and employment resilience through sound destination management.…

Please be advised that night work will be required on the Salish Eagle while berthed at Long Harbour terminal. Work will commence after the last scheduled sailing on the evening of September 12. This night work is necessary in order to prevent a service disruption. All efforts will be made to minimize the level and duration of the noise created during the night work, however, at times the sound levels may be noticeable for nearby residents. BC Ferries would like to thank its customers for their patience and understanding while these necessary night work activities are completed.

I’m not the kind of person to rant. I’m more of a ‘let’s be creative and craft good ideas’ kind of person. But this? This would seem to deserve a rant. I can't see the creativity or the crafting of good ideas here. Maybe I'm missing something? Clear road lines on narrow, winding, often shoulderless, wet island roads are vital for safety. We waited, again, for years to have decent lines re-painted on the island (Side rant why do paint lines on the island hardly last?). So when we recently had some of the lines on our islands roads redone, I, like many, were delighted that locals and visitors had some better sense of what their side of the road looks like. Now, not less than a few weeks after the lines are down, at great cost, effort and environmental expense, road crews patched up and down Fulford-Ganges intermittently covering up a good bit of sections of all the fresh paint. I'm grateful the roadwork was done, but why it couldn’t have been done before the paint should…