Quadra Island and Cortes Island Community Workshop: What We Heard Summary

On Saturday, July 13th, we hosted the Campbell River-Quadra-Cortes community workshop to gather feedback on the priorities for our ferry services. Participants included members from the Ferry Advisory Committee and the broader community. The discussion was lively and informative, and several key priorities were highlighted as areas of focus.

The highest-ranking priorities of the workshop were:

Vehicle Loading for Cortes Residents

Participants emphasized the need for a tagging or numbering system to identify vehicles travelling to Cortes. Additionally, a request to reintroduce a dedicated lane for Cortes travelers to streamline the loading process was made.

Line-up Management at Heriot Bay and Quathiaski Cove

Safety was the main theme, with participants stressing the importance of getting cars off the road and making sufficient parking available to improve safety and traffic flow.

Washrooms at Campbell River Terminal

The current washroom facilities present accessibility challenges, particularly for seniors and people with disabilities. One participant noted, "My dad can't use the outhouse with his walker."

Vehicle Staging at Campbell River Terminal During Cancellations

Participants highlighted safety concerns when cars are backed up onto the highway during cancellations. This priority was deemed important to address the potential hazards.

Schedule Adjustments

Another high-ranking priority was the return of the 8:30 p.m. sailing from Campbell River. Although the current summer schedule partially addresses this priority, participants expressed a desire to maintain it and introduce earlier sailings. This would benefit hospital workers with shifts ending at 7 p.m. and youth involved in sports and school activities, allowing them to arrive home at a more reasonable hour.

Thank you!

We would like to thank everyone who came out to our in person workshop, and the members of the Ferry Advisory Committee who joined us. If you were not able to make it, there is still an opportunity to provide your feedback through the online engagement open now until Monday, July 29, 2024.