Locally-owned, community supported independent news serving the East Shore of Kootenay Lake

Notices:

Travel Advisory – Kootenay Lake Ferry The following Kootenay Lake Ferry sailings have been cancelled due to crewing issues: Tuesday, April 8th CANCELLED SAILINGS Balfour: 6:30am, 8:10am, 9:50am, 11:30am and 1:10pm PDT Kootenay Bay: 7:10am, 9:00am, 10:40am, 12:20pm and 2:00pm PDT

April Update:

Unfortunately, the Kootenay Lake ferry workers remain on strike. 

The April/May edition of the newspaper has been sent to email subscribers inboxes and will this week be available for sale in stores on the East Shore. 

The digital version is now available for FREE! Check out the tab above – Latest Digital Edition. You can subscribe to receive it directly to your email or pay for a printed version to be mailed to you. 

Submissions are always welcome! Tell us what you love about the East Shore or ramp up support for what you are passionate about. We also welcome general interest articles and stories from anywhere.

The Mainstreet is the East Shore Kootenay Lake forum for  visitors and residents alike. Happy New Year!

We are collecting data from people who use the Kootenay Lake ferry, focusing on residents of the East Shore, to document the impacts they have endured during the Kootenay Lake Ferry strike, since November 3, 2024.
The survey closes end of day April 11, 2025.
 
LINK FOR THE SURVEY:
 
Thank you for providing your personal impacts and sharing this survey with others who use the ferry to get to and from the East Shore. Your data is confidential and will not be shared individually but collated with the other respondents and provided to appropriate parties to further understand the impacts of the strike.
 
On behalf of
RDCK Area E Representative, Garry Jackman
 
Thank you,
 
Gina Medhurst
medhurstgina@gmail.com
250-354-7390

Template for letters of support regarding the Kootenay Lake Ferry strike:

Have you been impacted by the ongoing strike action?
On behalf of the Our Ferry Matters working group, I am asking you to make your voice heard.
Please send an email to the BC Minister of Labour requesting binding arbitration, in order to put an end to this lengthy dispute.
Copy the letter below and personalize it with YOUR reason for wanting binding arbitration.
Email your letter to the BC Labour Minister at:
LBR.Minister@gov.bc.ca
—————————-
(Insert date) 

The Honourable Jennifer Whiteside
Minister of Labour
LBR.Minister@gov.bc.ca

I am writing to request that you implement binding arbitration to resolve the ongoing labour dispute between the BCGEU and Western Pacific Marine, which began on November 3, 2024.

The East Shore, Harrop Proctor, and Glade communities are all dependent on their ferries and have suffered undue stress due to this prolonged job action. This strike has put our communities in immediate and serious danger to our health, safety, and welfare, and has caused significant hardship for those relying on the Kootenay Lake ferry.

[Insert your personal story or reason for requesting binding arbitration.]

I urge you to act swiftly to mandate binding arbitration and bring this dispute to a fair resolution.

Sincerely,

[Insert your contact information]

2025 Submission Deadlines

Click here to check out the Business Directory, Events & Meetings page!

Kootenay Bay Ferry
Click refresh to see the traffic right now!
Kootenay Bay Ferry Landing Webcam - Provided by the East Shore Internet Society, with funding by the RDCK EDCK
View a larger version.

CLICK HERE for Mainstreet Print/Digital Newspaper Subscription Options!

Check DriveBC for up to date information about schedules a and delays for the Kootenay Lake Ferry. 

Contact Info:
Dee Gilbertson – editor@eshore.ca
Phone: 250.551.8800
Mail: Box 140, Crawford Bay, BC, V0B 1E0

Facebook-f Instagram