VICTORIA – BC Ferries is embarking on an engagement process from now until the end of summer 2018 to gather community input that will shape future plans for Swartz Bay terminal. The company values local community and customers’ input, as it recognizes the important role of Swartz Bay terminal to ferry users. BC Ferries would like to hear from customers, nearby residents, local communities, and other key stakeholders as we start to develop a new long-term vision for the terminal.
Engaging with key stakeholder groups will be the first step in the process, followed by pop-up sessions at the terminal that all customers can participate in. Also, BC Ferries will have an online engagement option beginning in late-May.
Following these sessions, the company will prepare a report summarizing everything it heard and BC Ferries will post the summary report online for customers and community members to view.
“We want to hear what our customers, nearby neighbours, and communities have to say about the future of the Swartz Bay terminal,” says Mark Wilson, BC Ferries’ VicePresident Strategy & Community Engagement. “More than seven million passengers travel through the Swartz Bay terminal each year. The goal of creating this long-term plan will be to enhance the travel experience for our customers and help support growth in the region.”
Engagement with the community builds on the previous master plan developed in 2004. Since that plan, there have been a number of terminal upgrades to the ticket booths, traffic flows and berth modifications. The new Terminal Development Plan, when completed, will guide the long-term planning and investment into future improvements for Swartz Bay.
The next step in the Swartz Bay Terminal Development Plan will be the development of concept options and draft a plan that meets BC Ferries’ and the community’s collective needs. BC Ferries expects the final plan to be ready later this year.
The long-term plan for Swartz Bay terminal is intended to create a vision for a more efficient and pleasurable experience for customers, while supporting growth in the region by moving people and goods with greater ease.
