Nanaimo is the latest town of many to lose a community paper

THE#BCBIZDAILY
Plus, federal infrastructure funds may benefit B.C. ferries and Surrey says all bridges should be tolled

No news is bad news
Another one bites the dust: after 141 years, the Nanaimo Daily News ceases publication today, another victim of the consolidation of community newspapers and cutbacks to Canadian news outlets. In the past month, Postmedia has combined newsrooms across the country and cut 90 jobs, Rogers Media cut 200 jobs across its television, radio and publishing divisions, Montreal’s La Presse stopped publishing weekday print editions of the newspaper and cut almost 160 jobs, and the Toronto Star announced plans to close its printing plant and cut more than 200 jobs.

Founded as the Nanaimo Free Press by George Norris in 1874, the paper has been sold to various publishers, most recently Black Press in 2015. “Black Press was unable to develop a sustainable business model that would offset the high cost base of the Nanaimo Daily News in relation to its low paid-circulation base. The cost of supporting the operation of the Daily News has been substantial and we don’t feel these losses will be reduced in the future,” said Randy Blair, Black Press president, BC Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island Divisions, in the Daily News.

Black Press will continue to publish the twice-weekly Nanaimo News Bulletin.

Taking its toll
The Surrey Board of Trade is calling for a coordinated regional tolling policy for both existing and future transportation infrastructure. A recent survey of members of the Surrey Board of Trade and South Surrey/White Rock Chamber of Commerce found that 60 per cent supported adding tolls to existing infrastructure in support of new infrastructure and ongoing maintenance, 34.5 per cent did not support tolls on existing infrastructure, and 5.5 per cent were not concerned about new tolls on existing infrastructure.

While the Board of Trade supports replacing the George Massey Tunnel with a tolled bridge, “Coordinated regional planning for infrastructure and tolling policy is desperately needed to ensure that no area is unduly penalized by unequal tolling practices,” said Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman in a statement. “The movement of goods and services will be severely impacted when business and commuters are driven to use the only non-tolled options because the alternative is too expensive for small business bottom lines and average family budgets.”    
  
A ferry godfather?
About that federal infrastructure fund: some of it may go to B.C. ferries. B.C. Minister of Transport Todd Stone recently travelled to Ottawa to ask for increased federal ferry subsidies, and federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau says the Trudeau government is considering the idea, according to the Vancouver Sun. After a meeting in Ottawa with provincial counterparts, Todd Stone told the Sun he’s getting “good vibes” on both B.C.’s requests: to fund ferries with the increase infrastructure spending and to waive the $52-million import tariff Victoria says it is required to pay to import three vessels now being constructed for B.C. in Poland.