TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2014
Black Press C O M M U N I T Y
N E W S
M E D I A
www.pqbnews.com
BCYCNA
Silver 2013 General Excellence
PINK FLOYD FAN ALERT
TOUR DE ROCK HAS STARTED!
Parksville man part of tribute band playing here this week
Big event here Thursday when riders roll into town — local constables on the road
A14
A5
UBCM MEETINGS ALL THIS WEEK
Ferries on the mind Thousands of politicians converge on Whistler CANDACE WU news@pqbnews.com
Joe Stanhope wants BC Ferries routes restored and fares reduced. The chair of the Regional District of Nanaimo, along with thousands of other municipal politicians from throughout B.C., will be in Whistler this week for the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) convention and ferry service promises to be a hot topic. A steady stream of BC Ferries fare increases has dramatically driven down ridership, costing the province’s GDP $2.3 billion over 10 years, according to a new report commissioned by the UBCM. The report analyzes the impact of fare increases on ridership levels and the overall impact of BC Ferries on the provincial economy. It found that while ridership is declining, most other forms of transportation in the province — including vehicle and air — are on the rise. And it’s top of mind for Stanhope. “It’s a pretty big issue,” Stanhope told The NEWS a few days before heading to the annual UBCM convention in Whistler (Sept. 22-26), where he vowed to pledge his support behind a resolution calling on the government to reconsider its policy of cutting service routes and hiking prices. “If the ferry rate increases had been limited to the rate of inflation, passenger volumes would have grown by 19 per cent,” he said, citing the report. “But because they (ferry rates) were raised, ridership dropped 11 per cent.” Stanhope said “the economy of the whole province is affected negatively.” According to the study, the forgone economic activity resulted in an estimated total loss of $609 million in tax revenue (at all levels of government). See MOTION ASKS, page A7
CANDACE WU PHOTO
The sign in front of Kwalikum Secondary School in Qualicum Beach welcomes students back to classes.
BACK TO THE BOOKS
Students here start Wednesday AUREN RUVINSKY writer@pqbnews.com
With an 86 per cent vote in favour of the deal worked out between the province and B.C. Teachers’ Federation, school is back in session tomorrow (Sept. 24) in District 69. Students in most districts returned to school Monday, but the complications of school reconfigurations here over the summer mean local students are starting two days later, as originally scheduled. “As there is a great deal of preparatory work that remains following the
job action, we will be honouring our commitment to two transitional/reconfiguration days in order to ensure that students are coming into safe, orderly and well-prepared learning environments,” said superintendent Rollie Koop in a news release. Monday and Tuesday are non-instructional days, “in order to ensure that our school readiness levels are what we need them to be for the arrival of students on Wednesday.” Wednesday will be as normal a first day back to school as possible, with all students — with the possible excep-
tion of Kindergarten students — starting class an hour late and ending an hour early, which school bus schedules will match. Parents of Kindergarten students will be contacted by their schools about their schedules. Following the locally familiar “reconnect start” system, elementary students will return to their class from the end of last year to take enrolment and be directed to their new class. Students entering grades 8-12 should attend Ballenas or Kwalikum secondary schools. See WHERE TO SEND , page A7
Sign up for our new Rewards program!
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
WEEKDAYS UNTIL 9PM • WEEKENDS UNTIL 6PM Locally Owned, Proudly Canadian!
281 E. ISLAND HWY. PARKSVILLE, BC 250-951-0243
Earn Points & Save IT’S FREE!