Bowen Island council is considering a bylaw that would charge a $150,000 annual fee to B.C. Ferries to cover the cost of traffic marshals and other ferry terminal-related upgrades. The island's modest ferry terminal often sees endless foot and vehicle traffic on weekends, creating congestion and safety concerns.
Municipality left to manage traffic alone
Mayor Andrew Leonard stated that B.C. Ferries does not maintain any full-time staff or infrastructure for vehicle management or ferry queuing on the Bowen Island side. This has led to congestion and safety issues in Snug Cove. 'We've had to hire ferry marshals, do all the road maintenance, sign painting, the wayfinding. No other community with a ferry terminal in British Columbia is expected to do that,' Leonard said Tuesday.
Vehicles queue on municipal roads while waiting for the next sailing. When delays or cancellations occur, drivers often leave their cars parked in traffic lanes, leading to frustration and occasional fights. Leonard noted that last summer, people got out of their cars and left, or fights broke out in ferry lines.
Traffic marshal pilot project
In 2025, the municipality hired two traffic marshals as part of a pilot project, but quickly realized four were needed to manage the lineup, which can extend about a kilometre up the main road. The marshals were given bylaw authority to write tickets and move vehicles. The pilot project cost nearly $200,000 for peak season operations and was funded by a one-time $50,000 grant from B.C. Ferries, which was not renewed this year.
Proposed fee and its impact
The proposed $150,000 fee is based on documented operating costs and would go into a reserve fund for traffic management and future ferry-related infrastructure. Leonard said the fee works out to about 11 cents per trip and is not intended to burden the ferry system but to recover costs that should not fall on island taxpayers.
Bowen Island has been asking for a pedestrian-only sailing for years, but so far, no solution has been reached. The council hopes the bylaw will prompt B.C. Ferries to take responsibility for traffic management at the terminal.
