Page 20: of Marine News Magazine (January 2016)

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COLUMN OP/ED

Ferries: An Economic Driving Force

By Serge A. Buy, CEO, Canadian Ferry Operators Association

While most people know that ferries makers from including ferries in their infrastructure pro- are a method of transportation, few have grams.

a good understanding of the nature of Canada’s recent federal election has resulted in a change the sector and its importance. In Can- of government. The new Prime Minister has been open to ada, ferries transport more than 55 mil- having provincial governments and municipalities decide lion passengers, over 19 million vehicles, on their priorities. This would allow provinces and regions billions of dollars’ worth of goods and to better de? ne their needs based on their geographic land- they employ close to 35,000 people. Be- scape. We certainly support this and welcome Prime Min- yond the numbers are the personal sto- ister Trudeau’s leadership on this.

Buy ries. Ferries are instrumental in helping: Ferries have been a method of transportation in North • children getting to schools, America for centuries. Indigenous communities have used • people going to hospitals, boats to transport passengers and goods between commu- • small businesses getting supplies, nities and the same holds true for the French, English and • workers reaching their place of employment, Spanish colonists that came later. We have been able to • tourists visiting remote regions maintain contact between communities separated by bod- • and much more. ies of water, thanks to the ef? ciency of our ferry systems.

Whether it is travelling on the ocean to reach an island,

For a good portion of Canadians, ferries are part of their crossing a river where no bridge exists, going across a lake way of life. Some are quite passionate about their ferries or replacing an ice bridge by using a ferry system in the – something which shows when schedules, fares or routes summer months, ferries are an environmentally friendly, are changed. But while this mode of transportation is as ef? cient and economical transport mechanism. Govern- vital for some communities as other methods of transpor- ments should support this mode of transportation.

tation, the ferry sector does not, generally, receive the same In the next few months, the ferry sector will make its amount of visibility. And that is an issue. case known. It will advocate for infrastructure funding

Planes, trains and automobiles. That’s not just the title programs that are inclusive of all modes of transportation. of a movie, it is also what immediately comes to mind Stakeholders will need to be heard as well. This means that when most people think about transportation infrastruc- the suppliers bene? ting from the billions of dollars spent by ture. And we often see that translated into practice when the ferry sector, the businesses that depend on the shipment government priorities ignore ferries. A parliamentary com- of goods by ferries, daily commuters, tourism organizations mittee reviewing Canada’s transportation infrastructure that are located in regions served by ferries, and municipal recently managed to publish a report without mentioning governments, will all need to be vocal on these issues.

ferries once. That raises red ? ags for our sector and for the With a strong safety record, environmentally-friendly millions of Canadians that rely on ferry transportation. policies in place and ? exibility to serve customers, ferries are

The Canadian federal government has announced the choice of millions of passengers on an annual basis. This that it will use infrastructure funding as a way to support will continue for the foreseeable future. Sound and inclu- economic growth. With this decision, tens of billions of sive government policies will be needed to serve the sector.

dollars will be spent funding the building of bridges and highways, expanding airports, enhancing rail facilities and Serge Buy has served as the CEO of the other projects. It is crucial to allow the ferry sector to also Canadian Ferry Operators Association bene? t from these infrastructure programs. (CFOA) since 2012. CFOA is the

Some regions have very little ferry transportation, but national voice of the ferry industry in Canada, representing others are entirely dependent on ferry services. While the more than 85 percent of the ferry traf? c (passenger and reliance on ferries for the transportation of passengers, ve- vehicle) in Canada. CFOA hosts an annual conference hicles and goods may not always be evident in a capital city that brings together ferry operators, suppliers and other such as Ottawa (although there are a few ferries located in stakeholders to discuss issues relevant to our sector.

the immediate vicinity), it should not stop the decision

January 2016

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