Staff shortages lead to BC Ferries cancellations ahead of busy Thanksgiving weekend
Staff shortages at BC Ferries have led to cancellations on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
The 6 a.m. departing Tsawwassen and 8 a.m. departing Swartz Bay were impacted.
BC Ferries says it’s hopeful there won’t be any further cancellations over the weekend.
“We're hoping not but there is the potential you know, somebody may call in sick at the last minute. So we would ask our customers to do check our current conditions on our website before they head out,” said Deborah Marshall, a spokesperson for BC Ferries.
The company added 85 extra sailings for the Thanksgiving long weekend in anticipation of the increased demand.
Three quarters of those are on the most popular route of Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay.
More than 420,000 passengers and 160,000 vehicles are expected to board between Thursday and Tuesday.
Extra service is also being added for Southern Gulf Island customers which includes Salt Spring, Pender, Mayne, Galiano and Saturna Islands.
The schedule has been modified on Oct. 10 to accommodate heavy traffic.
Passengers travelling from Tsawwassen to the Southern Gulf Islands also have the option of sailing via Swartz Bay terminal.
Foot passenger reservations are also available for customers travelling from Tsawwassen to the Southern Gulf Islands.
“Customers can take advantage of saver fares which can be booked on select off-peak sailings on many routes. They are the most affordable fare choice and help reduce the pressure on long line ups at peak travel times,” wrote BC Ferries in a travel advisory.
Thanksgiving is traditionally the most popular weekend of the year for walk-on passengers.
“At peak times, some sailings may reach passenger capacity and some walk-on customers may experience a sailing wait,” warned BC Ferries.
Walk-on passengers are urged to make a free booking on the three routes connecting Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island as well as on the Tsawwassen-Southern Gulf Islands route.
Nearly all vehicle reservations on the major routes were sold out for Friday before the first ferry even departed.
However, the Tsawwassen terminal appeared to be relatively quiet for a long weekend with passengers reporting short waits.
“The ferry is no problem people because I left at nine from Langley, went to Safeway, got here at 10, and I’m on the 11,” said June Jessup who was heading to Sooke to visit family.
BC Ferries said in a statement it "appreciates … the patience of customers" during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. “Abusive behaviour will not be tolerated and everyone is encouraged to be respectful, kind, calm, and safe,” the statement said.
The company has been plagued by staff shortages since the pandemic began, which have led to last minute cancellations.
Marshall says they’ve hired over 800 people over the past summer and are still recruiting.
“But there are going to be occasions when we do have our employees calling sick. And you know if somebody is suffering from COVID is the right thing to do for them to stay home. And we'll alert our customers if there are any impacts to our operation,” said Marshall.
Travellers are reminded to book in advance to avoid delays.
“Customers with advance bookings do not experience sailing waits, even when multiple waits are reported,” said BC Ferries.
Mid-week days and early morning or late evening sailings are typically the safest bet without a reservation.
"If customers are travelling without a reservation, departing Vancouver Island at the end of the long weekend, Sunday, early in the day would be a good time to travel, as well as early in the day on the holiday Monday,” said Marshall.
Travellers are also warned to carpool or take transit as terminal parking lots are expected to fill up quickly.
Those with advance bookings should plan to arrive at the terminal 45 to 60 minutes before their scheduled departure.
Walk-on passengers should arrive 45 minutes early for their anticipated sailing.
Customers are being reminded to check current conditions, service notices and travel advisories on BC Ferries' website before heading to the terminal and review the routes-at-a-glance page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW What Canada is doing about the toxic forever chemicals in drinking water
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson Airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Here's why experts don't think cloud seeding played a role in Dubai's downpour
Scientists say it's highly unlikely cloud seeding is responsible for the heavy rains that have caused flooding in the United Arab Emirates this month, and that climate change is the more likely culprit.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.