VICTORIA — BC Ferries is considering major changes to service between Vancouver Island and the mainland, including closing one Nanaimo terminal and funnelling all traffic through Tsawwassen instead of Horseshoe Bay.

The proposals are part of a massive rethink of BC Ferries mid-Island service, in an attempt to drive down billions in new capital costs and ultimately slow the rapid rise of ticket prices.

They were outlined in an “efficiency plan” quietly posted to the independent ferry commissioner’s website last month and confirmed by the ferry corporation and government on Tuesday.

No final decisions have been made, but Transportation Minister Todd Stone said Tuesday that BC Ferries is analyzing the scenarios with the goal of public consultation in mid-2015 and final decisions by the end of that year.

“It’s plausible to consider a scenario in the not-to-distant future whereby the vast majority of traffic from Nanaimo could potentially go through Tsawwassen,” Stone said in an interview with The Vancouver Sun on Tuesday. “But those decisions have not been made and (BC Ferries) is in the early stages of even looking at it.”

At the Horseshoe Bay terminal early Wednesday morning, almost all the commuters interviewed were adamantly against BC Ferries' proposal to scrap the route between Horseshoe Bay and Nanaimo. Some didn't want to give their names but one woman was visibly upset, saying she was "100 per cent" against the idea.

Heather Walker travels to work in downtown Vancouver often by walking on the Departure Bay ferry and then taking a bus in Horseshoe Bay to downtown. She doesn't have a car and says it would be "impossible" to take a longer ferry to Tsawwassen and then a two-hour bus to Vancouver.

"I commute on foot all the time from Nanaimo. It would be impossible..it's crazy."

"I know a lot of people who travel that route and it would be such a huge deal to them," said Simon Gidora. "That's a huge drive (Tsawwassen) for them...I think it's not a good idea."

"It's ridiculous," said Carol Feeney, who was on her way to Nanaimo from Horseshoe Bay where she's lived for 20 years. "I have to go to the Tsawwassen one and that's way out of my way."

Lisa Pietrow of Bowen Island said there would be far less traffic at the terminal, but it would be bad business.

"I don't think it would be good for tourism for the north part of Vancouver Island. It's going to be inconvenient for the people who live there but it's also going to be much more inconvenient for visitors as well."

Shortly after 8 a.m, the first ferry from Departure Bay arrived, commuters lined up at the bus but many darted across the street to the closest coffee shop to get their morning java buzz before work. Alfred Haley has owned the shop, located across the street from the Horseshoe Bay terminal, for 10 years. He called the proposal deeply troubling.

"This will absolutely kill our business," he said, adding that he's noticed a slowing of business ever since the ferry fees were raised. "The vast majority of our customers are from that ferry service."