Town of Gibsons

Sunshine Coast and Bowen Island Mayors Demand Urgent Action on Ferry Reliability

April 25, 2025

Mayors Silas White (Town of Gibsons) and Andrew Leonard (Bowen Island Municipality) have issued a formal call to Premier David Eby for immediate intervention to address the ongoing deterioration of ferry service on BC Ferries Routes 3 (Langdale–Horseshoe Bay) and 8 (Snug Cove–Horseshoe Bay).

In a detailed letter sent on April 25, 2025, the mayors describe a system in crisis, with frequent service breakdowns, prolonged delays, and an absence of accountability across the organizations responsible for coastal ferry operations. The most recent example over the Easter long weekend — including a vessel breakdown and widespread service disruptions — left travellers stranded and communities scrambling to respond.

“Premier Eby committed in 2023 to making BC Ferries a top priority,” said Mayor White. “Yet today, our communities remain burdened by an unreliable service that affects not just travel plans, but our residents’ health, livelihoods, and businesses.”

The letter outlines four specific demands for provincial action:

  • Creation of an accountable governance table that includes ferry-dependent local governments
    alongside BC Ferries leadership and regulators.
  • Mandatory transparency in operational data, including real-time and historical performance
    metrics at the route level.
  • Immediate service improvements for Routes 3 and 8, including increased vessel redundancy and a clear timeline for vessel and terminal upgrades.
  • Reinstatement of meaningful community engagement structures to ensure ferry users have a
    real influence on operational and capital planning decisions.

“Reliable ferry service is not a luxury—it is a fundamental public service, critical to the economic and social wellbeing of ferry-dependent communities,” said Mayor Leonard. “The consequences of inaction are profound and growing.”

The mayors have requested a written response by May 31, 2025, and a meeting with the Premier and Minister of Transportation before the peak summer travel season.