We don’t usually write about a story but when I saw your piece on the ferry corporation and the bad press about how they operate, I had to respond.
We’ve been living on the Island for over nine years now and love it. We could have lived any where in the world but we chose to stay in Canada and we chose the island. I really want to emphasis chose because what we have noticed since coming here was that there are a lot of others who have done the same. We find the life style second to none, the people great and who can complain about this last summer.
My beef is with the people who constantly complaining about the ferry costs, the ferry corporation and that because we have to travel or not have to travel to the mainland the someone should pay for our privilege. We have one of the best systems in the world and the most reasonable. You only have to travel to U.S. via blackball ferries out of Victoria to see the difference. An old fleet and a higher price. Try traveling from the North Island to the South Island of New Zealand and see what you have to pay for that trip as a passenger on an old tub. It goes on and on, I remember when the government totally ran the system and the attitude of the staff was totally different. We have three new ships now servicing us and the old boats still look pretty good.
No one rides for free, I’ve been on some of those boats at different times of the day, month year and they were almost empty, multiply that over the long haul and you can see the money being burned up. The smaller islands are even worse with ridership.
Again I emphasize choice. We choose to live here because it’s a great place to live and a great place to raise a family. If you don’t like it here then move to the Lower Mainland and see what that would cost you to raise your family.
R Komar
Campbell River