Earls Cove Terminal Development Plan

The Earls Cove Terminal Development Plan was internally endorsed in the fall of 2021.Our teams continue to work with local First Nations and stakeholders on future redevelopment projects at the terminal and required approvals. The purpose of this TDP is to set out the long-term vision for the future of this important terminal by providing the framework for the phased implementation of strategies and actions over the next 25 years. This will enable BC Ferries to develop the terminal in a cost effective, organized and efficient way. In developing this TDP we engaged with customers and the community, the Northern Sunshine Coast Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC), First Nations, government stakeholders, and employees. We considered the input and refined the concepts into a preferred concept that is included in the TDP.

Earls Cove Terminal Development Plan

The full Terminal Development Plan has been developed and is currently undergoing final approvals. We look forward to sharing it with you once it has been approved. Please stay tuned to this page!

Thank you to everyone who provided input on our draft terminal design concepts. The concepts were generally well received, including the idea of a new waiting room/washroom building and incorporating two-lane unloading for more efficient operations.

Key themes we heard in the feedback included:

• Considerations for the addition of a highway holding lane:
  • Generally noted as beneficial to move traffic off the road and improve safety and flow during busy times
  • May have impact on acceleration lane length for commercial traffic, shorter holding lanes and/or a truck pullout were suggested as ways to mitigate this
  • Queue jumping may be possible with holding lane, we need to consider how to mitigate this potential
    
    
• Wayfinding:
  • Desire for clearer signs at terminal entry
    
    
• Addition of amenities including:
  • Electric vehicle charging stations
  • Enhanced picnic tables, e.g. with chess or cribbage inlays
    
    

Through the OCP and Rezoning amendment process we also heard the following key themes:

• Traffic flow and safety
  1. Ensuring that those employed by, or wishing to patronize the nearby restaurant are able to access the business and have adequate parking to do so
  2. Ensuring safe access to nearby businesses and roadways during peak times
     
     
• Integrating with surroundings
  1. Taking care not to infringe on local business, i.e. nearby restaurant
  2. Ensuring comfort for residents and travellers while at the terminal

We are now drafting the full Terminal Development Plan and look forward to sharing it with you once it has been approved. Please stay tuned to this page!

Latest news: The proposed OCP and Zoning Bylaw Amendments for Earls Cove were approved in January 2021 following SCRD reviews and first and second readings in September 2020.

As part of the terminal development planning process, we submitted an application in March 2020 to the Sunshine Coast Regional District to amend the Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning bylaws for the terminal. We proposed changes to bring the legal land use classifications in the bylaws in line with the way the land is already being used. The bylaws zoned the terminal for a mix of commercial and residential uses, which do not allow for ferry terminal use. We proposed to change the zoning of terminal lands to 'marine transportation' to reflect the fact that the land is being used as a ferry terminal today. No other significant changes were proposed.

Read our application

• You can read our application letter to the SCRD
• View the appendices to our application
• View a presentation about our application

Our team listened to the comments provided by the community. Thank you for your feedback. The information you provided was shared with the SCRD as part of our application process, and will also help us further develop and refine the Terminal Development Plan.