Editorial about Gabriola bridge feasibility study

The Times Colonist has published an editorial about the Gabriola Bridge study. It begins: Thorough public consultation has the potential to save a lot of money and headaches. When the B.C. government received a petition in 2014 supporting a bridge to Gabriola Island, the Transportation Ministry agreed to a $200,000 feasibility study. “The signal we have received from Gabriola Island…

Gabriola anti-bridge petition presented in BC Legislature

Yesterday (April 13th, 2015) Doug Routley and Claire Trevena presented the no bridge to Gabriola petition in the BC Legislature. Apparently there were 2,269 signatures. Gabriolans who attended the session: Chris Bowers, Jacinthe Eastick, Veronica Hartman, Howard Houle, Leaf Kotasek, Sheila Malcolmson, Heather Nicholas, Steve O’Neill, and Penny Sidor. To see what was said, you can read the Hansard draft…

Anti-bridge petition to be presented

Here’s what we spotted in the current issue of the Gabriola Sounder: Members of Bridge Free Salish Sea, Trustee Heather Nicholas, and RDN Director Howard Houle will be driving to Victoria April 13 with the petition signatures of 2,026 British Columbians, 1,591 of which are from Gabriola and Mudge Islands. The petition supports the Islands Trust policy statment against bridges…

FOI documents and consultations

We note with interest that Ivan Bulic’s Letter to the Editor in this week’s Sounder references a significant amount of contact between the Gabriola Bridge Society (the pro-bridge lobby) and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure during 2014, including a quoted offer by the Deputy Director to hold meetings with the Society. The letter goes on to ask to what extent these consultations…

Gabriola toll bridge?

We’re all hoping for no bridge at all to Gabriola. But if we do get a bridge to our island, driving across it might not be free. Look at what’s happening in the Lower Mainland. The Golden Ears Bridge and the Port Mann Bridge now require tolls. The Pattullo Bridge is to require tolls when it is replaced. Drivers are…