Transportation

Transportation » An Integrated, Multi-modal Network

A transportation service for the Southern Gulf Islands is strategic priority for the Capital Regional District and a key component of the CESC’s Experience the Gulf Islands. The objective is to facilitate the movement of residents, visitors and goods on Islands and between the Southern Gulf Islands, Salt Spring Island, and Vancouver Island through multi-modal transportation options, including regional trails for pedestrians and cyclists, community trails, community bus service, and inter-island passenger-only ferry service. The goal is to assist in growing the local economy while minimizing environmental concerns related to single-occupancy vehicles.

The Capital Regional District (CRD) will have a referendum question on the ballot for the general election of October 15, 2022. The referendum will seek voter assent for the creation of a new transportation service for the Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Area.

If the referendum passes, that will enable the creation of a Southern Gulf Islands Transportation Commission comprised of locals who will guide the service, set strategic priorities, and develop a budget based on those priorities.

This project was initiated at the request of island residents, organizations, and the SGI Community Economic Sustainability Commission (CESC), who asked the CRD to support the community buses and provide transportation alternatives within the Southern Gulf Islands: Galiano, Mayne, Saturna and North & South Pender Islands (SGI). The primary objective of an SGI transportation service would be to provide financial and coordination support to locally led active transportation and community transit initiatives. It could also provide some resources to support partnerships that improve inter-island travel between the islands (beyond BC Ferries).

The decision to propose a transportation service comes after a year-long community engagement process that involved a high level of public participation. Overall, the theme heard repeatedly from the public and stakeholders was that there was a need to improve transportation options on the Southern Gulf Islands, particularly due a lack of safety for users of the hilly, winding and narrow road network. Improved transportation options would:

Better connect major origins and destinations on the islands.
Provide alternatives to single occupancy vehicles and reduce car dependency
Provide seniors and low-income populations better travel options.
Better enable kids the ability to travel safely and independently.
Support sustainability goals in the SGI.

In tandem with this Transportation Integration Plan, the Capital Regional District developed a Southern Gulf Island Active Transportation Plan that builds on existing mapping work completed for Galiano, Mayne, Saturna, and the Pender Islands, including the CRD Regional Parks’ proposed spine trails and trails managed by CRD local Parks and Recreation Commissions as well local trail societies on each island.

This AT plan is intended as a resource for groups developing active transportation in the islands. If the CRD establishes an SGI Transportation Service, the future SGI Transportation Commission can consider a strategic plan for implementation, and start exploring how to fund it with infrastructure grants from other levels of government. The maps are living documents, and the future SGI Transportation Commission will have the opportunity to update them as needed.

For more information about this project, including details of the recommendation, why this project was undertaken, and what we heard from community members, visit the webpage.

Community Bus Service

The islands of Mayne, Saturna, Pender and Galiano have each completed a community bus pilot project, and are in their third to fifth year of service provision. Organizational structures and service models vary by island.

The Mayne Island Community Bus was licensed August 2015 using a donated used bus and funded by private donations. In January 2018, the CRD funded the purchase of a new bus with seating for 24 passengers. The Mayne Island Bus Society (MIBS) uses volunteers to operate a morning bus service Thursday through Saturday, all year-round. Ridership for 2019 was 3,347 passengers, approximately 60% who were visitors, 40% residents.

On Saturna Island the community shuttle is also in its fifth year of operations. The service is owned by the Saturna Lions Club and operates using volunteer drivers. Recently, the original 21 passenger shuttle was sold and replaced with two 7-passenger vans, which only require a class 5 license to drive, and increases the pool of volunteer drivers. Due to Saturna's relatively small population, paratransit service (call/text/email to request service) has proven more effective than a fixed schedule, and the vans average 3 trips per week. Ridership for 2019 was approximately 1000 passengers. The service is free, but donations can be made to the Lions Club.

On Galiano Island, the Galiano Islands Community Transportation Society (GICTS) applied for a CRD grant to purchase an 18 passenger bus and a seven passenger minivan for their pilot project. Starting in 2017, the bus has offered a regular scheduled service Friday and Saturdays from April through September. Ridership for 2019 was approximately 780 passengers, 90% of whom were visitors to the island. Fares were initially by donation, but since 2019 fixed fares have been charged depending on trip length.

In January, 2018, the Mayne Island Bus Society acquired a newer and larger bus. Through a grant authorized by CRD, SGI Director David Howe, the Mayne Island Bus Society has purchased this 24 passenger bus. The Directors of the Bus Society thank Dynamic Specialty Vehicles Ltd. of Surrey BC for their exceptional service and their volunteer drivers who make this service possible.

On North Pender Island, Moving Around Pender (MAP) received a grant to purchase a 21 passenger, former BC Transit vehicle. In August 2016, they launched their 2.5 year pilot project to demonstrate feasibility. Since then, the service has varied depending on the season and availability of volunteer drivers, but typically the bus runs 2-4 days per week, for 10-12hrs each day. In 2019, bus service was reduced to the 10 week summer season only and carried 1079 passengers. This is compared to 2018 when the bus operated year-round, and served 3,260 passengers. One innovative feature of the Pender Island community bus service is that the location of the bus can be tracked using a live tracker. At present, fares are by donation.

In 2017 the CRD, using funding provided by the UBCM Strategic Priorities fund, contracted with Richard Drdul to prepare a report outlining the regulatory, licensing and insurance requirements for community bus services operated by societies. He worked with Galiano Island Community Transportation Society and Moving Around Pender to provide recommendations for their pilot projects.

Click here for the SGI Community Bus Assessment Revised Addendum (2021)
Click here for the SGI Community Bus Assessment (2020 Addendum).
Click here for the SGI Community Bus Assessment (2017).

Gulf Islands Regional Trails Plan Update

As identified in the Gulf Islands Regional Trails Plan (2018), the first regional trail segment to be developed in the Gulf Islands is Phase 1 of the Mayne Island Regional Trail. This 2.3 km bike and pedestrian trail will be developed between Village Bay and Miners Bay village. The CRD’s Engineering Services and Regional Parks divisions will oversee the development of the trail. Construction is anticipated to start in 2021 and be completed in 2023.

Funding support through an Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program – Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure grant is being provided by the Government of Canada and Province of British Columbia. The grant was announced in early July 2020. This project could not move forward at this time without the financial support of this federal/provincial program. Additional funding support for the project is provided by CRD Regional Parks.

Community Trails

Local community trails have been provided on all islands through initiatives of Parks and Recreation Commissions on each islands as well as local trail groups such as Galiano Trails Society and Moving Around Pender. The Commission trails are located on Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) road rights-of-way pursuant to a Letter of Agreement between MoTI and the Islands Trust.

The agreement outlines road standards and classification on park lands acquired through dedication by subdivision approvals and on undeveloped road allowances via a Licence of Occupation. In addition, the trail groups have worked with landowners to provide trails across private lands under an agreement and with the group or society providing liability coverage.

Gulf Islands Regional Trails Plan

The CRD is currently developing a plan for future regional trails on the Gulf Islands. This plan identifies a conceptual route for a regional trail on each of Galiano, Mayne, North and South Pender, Salt Spring and Saturna Islands, and provides direction to guide implementation and trail development.

The routes will generally connect ferry terminals to key destinations such as parks or commercial hubs, and over the long term the network of trails on the islands will benefit the region by providing more opportunities for recreation and active transportation. For more on the Gulf Islands Regional Trail project, go here.

A conceptual regional trail route for Mayne Island was first considered in 2015 and a preliminary design was initiated shortly thereafter. In summer 2017, an open house was held on Mayne Island to showcase the Mayne Island Regional Trail Phase 1 design and the larger Gulf Islands Regional Trails Plan project. The Gulf Islands Regional Trails Plan was approved by the CRD Board in early 2018 and the design for the trail was completed later that year. The trail route will be developed adjacent to and on the north side of Village Bay Road between the BC Ferries terminal and Naylor Road.

For more information about the Mayne Island Regional Trail, and for answers to Frequenty Asked Questions, visit the webpage.

Background on the Gulf Islands Regional Trail project»

Mayne Island Regional Trail Phase 1 Development »

Mayne Island Regional Trail Poster»

Inter-island Passenger-Only Ferries

The Salish Sea Inter-Island Transportation Society provides oversight for the annual Tour des Isles event, during which, the Southern Gulf Islands are connected by small commercial foot passenger vessels. The three-day event welcomes thousands of passengers from Galiano, Mayne, Saturna, Pender and Salt Spring Islands with local water taxis providing service between CRD docks on each Island. In some cases, local businesses or societies provide on-island transport to meet the boats.

In 2016, the CRD contracted KPFF Consulting Engineers to hold a workshop to discuss the regulatory, licensing and insurance requirements for an inter-island, passenger-only ferry service, as well as supporting infrastructure, operational models and financial implications. The workshop also provided an opportunity for existing water taxi providers to outline their services and discuss challenges. Participants scoped out the vision for a potential long term passenger ferry service as well as the parameters for a pilot project. The results of the workshop are available here.