'Residents are clearly divided': BC Ferries halts terminal expansion on Denman Island after protests

BC Ferries in hot water with Denman Islanders Some residents of Denman Island say they're concerned with BC Ferries removing a swath of trees to expand its terminal.

BC Ferries is pumping the brakes on its plans to expand its ferry terminal on Denman Island following pushback from some residents.

BC Ferries has long planned to expand the terminal, but actual construction was delayed due to the pandemic, according to the ferry operator.

In 2017 and 2018, BC Ferries says, it completed community engagement on the project.

The engagement process found top concerns related to the ferry terminal were a lack of safe pick-up and drop-off zones, and traffic backups on the only road to and from the terminal, which is a residential two-lane street.

To address those concerns, BC Ferries started working on expanding the ferry terminal site this year. The project included plans for a new parking lot and the realignment of a nearby road to include a dedicated drop off and pick up zone.

The project was met with swift resistance, however, with some Denman Island residents occupying the work site and preventing heavy equipment and work trucks from accessing the site.

The demonstrators said they were pushing back against BC Ferries' plans to cut down more than 140 trees to make room for the project.

"Our attempt right now is to save the trees, put the whole thing on delay," said demonstrator Deborah McCall on Tuesday.

Those attempts seem to have paid off. On Thursday, BC Ferries said it was halting its plans to expand the Denman Island ferry terminal, which connects the northern Gulf Island to nearby Hornby Island.

"After listening to the community's concerns this past week, we understand and acknowledge that the community feels the engagement work done at that time no longer reflects the community as a whole, and residents are clearly divided on the project," said BC Ferries in an update Thursday.

The project will be shelved until BC Ferries completes another round of community engagement later this year during the company's regular community engagement schedule, which covers the entire coast. Exact dates for the next round of engagement have not been released yet.

Since the terminal will not be expanded by this year's peak summer season, BC Ferries says "due care and attention by motorists and pedestrians is imperative."

Demonstrators said they've suggested alternatives to reducing traffic build-ups at the ferry terminal besides destroying the trees for construction space.

One of those suggestions is to operate a larger vessel on the route. However, BC Ferries says adding a larger vessel will not necessarily mean reduced lineups.

"A vessel with more capacity may in fact increase demand and exacerbate the current situation, or at the very least have no effect," said BC Ferries in a statement to CTV News on Thursday.

"A larger lot gives certainty that safety concerns associated with congestion are addressed."