HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

1 Subsection 38 (1) of the Coastal Ferry Act, S.B.C. 2003, c. 14, is amended by:

(a) adding the following clause:

(e.1) in the establishment of user fees charged on designated ferry routes, consideration must be paid to

(a) ridership,

(b) public good, and

(c) available access to ferries by ferry-dependent communities.

(b) adding the following text to clause (f), highlighted by underline:

(f) subject to subsection (1) (e.1), the designated ferry routes are to move towards a greater reliance on a user pay system so as to reduce, over time, the service fee contributions by the government.

2 Section 74 of the Coastal Ferry Act, S.B.C. 2003, c. 14, is amended by repealing section 74 and replacing it with the following text:

74  The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act applies to the Authority and to the British Columbia Ferry Services Inc.

3 Section 75 of the Coastal Ferry Act, S.B.C. 2003, c. 14 is amended by repealing section 75 and replacing it with the following text:

75  The Ombudsman Act applies to the British Columbia Ferry Authority and to the British Columbia Ferry Services Inc.

4 Section 14 of the Coastal Ferry Act, S.B.C. 2003, c. 14, is amended by adding the following subsections:

(3) From the date this provision comes into force, the salary of directors is set at $30,000 per year, and the salary of the chair is set at $105,000 per year.

(4) Any future amendments to subsection (3) must be approved by the Legislative Assembly.

5 Section 18 of the Coastal Ferry Act, S.B.C. 2003, c. 14, is amended by adding the following subsection:

(4.1) At least 10 days before the date of an annual general meeting, the directors must provide the minister responsible for this Act with an annual report that complies with subsection (5).

6 This Act comes into force on the date of Royal Assent.

 
Explanatory Note

This Act increases the accountability of BC Ferries Services Inc. to both the government and the public. It requires that the public interest be taken into account when rates charged on designated routes are set, by consideration of ridership, public good, and available access by ferry-dependent communities. It rolls back the salaries of directors to a more fair and reasonable compensation, and requires legislative approval of subsequent salary increases. This Act also brings the BC Ferry Services Inc. under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Ombudsman Act, and requires it to report annually to the minister responsible. With this act, BC recognizes that ferries should not only serve the public interest, but should be accountable to both the government and the public.