Even B.C. Premier David Eby has said that the cancellations of repeats are not acceptable
B.C. Ferries is an important part of the infrastructure of the province because it connects the Lower Mainland to Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, and the Gulf Islands.
The ferries are privately run, but the province owns them. They take tourists to popular vacation spots and provide essential services to people who live and work on the islands that dot the coast of British Columbia.
But this summer, getting on a ferry has been like getting tickets to the hottest concert in town. This is because B.C. Ferries has been having problems with its ships, canceling trips at the last minute, not having enough staff, and making it hard to know if you can make online reservations.
Even B.C. Premier David Eby has said that the cancellations of repeats are not acceptable..
“Every person who lives on the island knows that ferries are part of our highway system. It’s not a good way to visit grandma or come over to the island, just like it’s not a good way for our family. “It’s important to the economy of the island,” Eby said.
“It’s how goods get to people. People use it to get around. And we know how important it is that B.C. Ferries gets the job done for the people of British Columbia.”
So, why do ships seem to disappear and wait times seem to last forever? How can you make sure your trip through B.C. waters goes as smoothly as possible?
Why did plans have to be changed at the last minute this summer
During the summer of 2023, there were many cancellations, but the biggest one happened when B.C. Ferries pulled one of its biggest ships out of service just hours before one of the busiest long weekends. This caused eight daily cancellations on the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay route.
The Coastal Celebration, which travels between Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria with up to 310 cars and 1,604 passengers and crew, was set to be fixed up in Victoria in the middle of May. But since only one company wanted the job, it was moved to Vancouver and put off until the middle of June.
Once work finally started, it was found that the maintenance problems were more complicated than expected. This made it take even longer for the ship to be seaworthy.
At the time, B.C. Ferries spokeswoman Karen Johnston told CBC News that most repairs are done between September and May, before the busy summer travel season.
“We do our best to control and plan ahead for our refit schedule,” Johnston said.
“We couldn’t do anything about what happened in this situation.”
The Coastal Celebration had more problems after that. In the past few weeks, the ship had to cancel several trips because of a problem with its propulsion system.
And on July 24, the ship was brought in for repairs because a broken or otherwise ineffective seal was letting hydraulic oil leak out.
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How does staffing affect when ships leave port
B.C. Ferries says that, in addition to problems with important ships, record-high traveler demand and a lack of staff are making travel conditions rough.
Transport Canada has a rule that says B.C. Ferries ships can only sail with a certain number of licensed and trained crew members.
Johnston said that the ferries have hired about 1,200 people in the last year to avoid the kind of critical staff shortages that lead to cancellations. However, they are still having trouble finding people to fill in when people leave.
“A lot of these key positions are filled, but we don’t have enough of the back-up crew. So, if someone has a family emergency, it can be hard to find a replacement crew, which means that the run has to be canceled,” she said.
B.C. Ferries says that an international shortage of about 21,000 certified mariners is having a big effect on their business, just like it is on many other industries that need people who can work at sea.
B.C. Ferries says that it is currently focusing on keeping employees and training them. They are also working directly with post-secondary institutions to get more people to work for them.
Why does the website say that there are no available reservations
When people went to the B.C. Ferries website on July 20, they found that bookings were no longer being taken.
Later, B.C. Ferries confirmed that they were blocking new reservations for some sailings while they worked to move cancelled reservations to other sailings on the same day.
What about going somewhere for a doctor’s appointment
As part of the provincial government’s Travel Assistance Program (TAP), B.C. Ferries gives patients free reservations and travel to and from medical specialist appointments.
The Medical Assured Loading (MAL) program is also available for people who need to avoid a long wait at the terminal and have a letter from their doctor saying they need it.
How do I make sure I can go sailing
B.C. Ferries’ advice hasn’t changed: make a reservation when you can and get there early.
If you need to travel at the last minute during a busy time, it’s best to travel on foot.
What’s the unofficial word? For hot days at the airport, bring snacks, a book, sunscreen, and your patience.
Are there other options
If you can’t get on a ferry, you can use a plane to get to and from different places. Gulf Island Air, Harbour Air Seaplanes, and Seair all offer quick, scenic flights to and from a number of places in B.C., but the high cost of a flight could make it hard for most people to use this method of travel.
Late this summer, there will also be a new foot passenger ferry service between downtown Vancouver and Nanaimo.
The Vancouver Island Ferry Company is in charge of the Hullo ferry line, which will start service with two high-speed catamaran boats that can each hold 354 people.
There will be up to seven round-trip trips between downtown Nanaimo and downtown Vancouver every day. Each trip will take about 70 minutes.