BC Ferries letting unvaccinated workers back on the job
Unvaccinated BC Ferries workers are being allowed back on the job, raising hopes they could help alleviate the staffing issues that have forced a number of recent sailing cancellations.
Company spokesperson Deborah Marshall confirmed BC Ferries' vaccination requirement was suspended Monday, after the Canadian government lifted its vaccine mandate for employees working in federally regulated transportation sectors.
"We currently have approximately 150 employees on leave without pay due to the policy," Marshall said in an email. "We are in the process of reaching out to them to check on their intention to return to BC Ferries."
How much impact unvaccinated workers will have on scheduling issues depends on how many return, but Marshall said BC Ferries is "optimistic" crew availability will improve.
She noted BC Ferries has already recruited approximately 850 workers since the start of the year.
That hasn't been enough to prevent several recent sailing cancellations between the mainland and Vancouver Island, due to staffing problems blamed on COVID-19 and a lack of workers to fill in the gaps.
Earlier this month, the president of the B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers Union warned travellers they could be in for "a rocky summer."
"The fleet is running on overtime, and that’s just a recipe for burnout. We have been seeing that for months," Eric McNeely told CTV News at the time. "Unless there are some real fundamental changes taken quickly, it's going to be difficult."
The government also lifted its vaccine mandates for federal employees and domestic travellers this week, but said
The federal government lifted its vaccine mandate for transportation sectors at the same time it lifted the mandate for domestic travellers and federal employees.
In a statement, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos hinted the mandates could be brought back, depending on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Vaccination remains the single most effective way to protect ourselves, our families, our communities, and our economy against COVID-19," Duclos wrote.
"We don't know what we may or may not face come autumn, but we know that we must remain prudent, which is why our government continues to strongly encourage everyone in Canada to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.