Bowen Island Council to Review Measures to Manage Ferry-Related Traffic and Public Safety in Snug Cove
Mayor Andrew Leonard introduced a motion at the September 8th Council meeting to address the growing challenges caused by BC Ferries operations in Snug Cove.
While the motion will be formally debated at the next regular council meeting on October 14, 2025, it directs municipal staff to explore all available tools to manage land-based impacts of ferry traffic, recover costs, and ensure public safety in the town centre.
Key Issues Highlighted in the Motion:
- Public Safety Risks: Ferry traffic moves through a busy pedestrian area and school zone along a single narrow roadway, creating a growing risk of serious accidents.
- Municipal Cost Burden: Bowen Island currently bears significant annual costs for roadway maintenance, traffic management, parking enforcement, and staffing, all to manage ferry-related impacts, with no direct on-going contributions from BC Ferries. Adequate and proactive solutions will cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.
- Inadequate BC Ferries Support: The Municipality is concluding an expanded ferry marshalling pilot program, whose initial results show that the level of staffing and resources provided by BC Ferries in Snug Cove is woefully inadequate. This has been demonstrated by the regular and extreme congestion and traffic snarls in our town centre. This leaves municipal taxpayers absorbing both the financial costs and the operational impacts of ferry-related congestion.
- Local Jurisdiction: The municipality has authority over roads, parking, and land use and can regulate land-based activities of ferry operators without interfering with ferry navigation or marine operations.
Council Direction:
The motion asks staff to review options such as:
- Business licensing for land-based ferry operations
- Roadway use permits and associated fees
- Parking fees, including differential rates for non-residents
- Traffic and roadway restrictions to improve safety and flow
- Changes in land use or acquisition of new land in Snug Cove
- Any other legally permissible measures, including potential legal remedies to recover municipal costs and address liability risks
Next Steps:
The motion will be considered on October 14, 2025, and if adopted, will empower staff to make this a high-priority initiative, directing them to pursue every municipal regulatory and cost-recovery tool available to address ferry-related congestion and safety issues as the ferry marshalling pilot concludes.
Mayor Leonard said:
“Our ferry marshalling pilot makes it clear that BC Ferries is not providing the support our town centre needs. Residents and visitors deserve a safe, functional Snug Cove, and ferry operations should not impose hazards or leave local taxpayers paying the price. This motion ensures Council empowers staff to act decisively and solve this problem now.”