BC Ferries has delayed service cuts for another year, officials from the corporation told the southern Sunshine Coast ferry advisory committee (FAC) Tuesday.

Corrine Storey, BC Ferries’ vice-president of customer services, said BC Ferries had finalized an extension to its contract with the provincial government the previous day, effectively cancelling the June 30 deadline to introduce service reductions.

With the deadline now extended to March 2014, the level of service will remain the same until then, she said.

As well, she said, the amount of cost savings by 2016 targeted under the plan has dropped from $26 million to $19 million.

“Has the issue gone away? No. But we can breathe a little easier,” Storey said.

This report was carried in Coast Reporter, published today.