20-014
March 20, 2020
BC Ferries matches capacity to meet current demand
Additional sailings cancelled in April on Metro Vancouver – Vancouver Island, Metro Vancouver – Sunshine Coast and Metro Vancouver – Southern Gulf Islands routes
VICTORIA – In response to an approximately 40 per cent decline in traffic as a result of COVID-19, BC Ferries advises customers it is cancelling the additional sailings scheduled in April on four routes. This allows the company to continue to provide essential services to coastal communities, while safeguarding resources of the ferry system for when traffic increases.
Supplemental sailings that were originally scheduled for popular travel times in April are now cancelled and the routes are operating on the following daily schedules:
Metro Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Vancouver Island (Swartz Bay)
| Departing Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay |
|---|
| 7:00 am |
| 9:00 am |
| 11:00 am |
| 1:00 pm |
| 3:00 pm |
| 5:00 pm |
| 7:00 pm |
| 9:00 pm |
Metro Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) – Nanaimo (Departure Bay)
| Departing Horseshoe Bay | Departing Departure Bay |
|---|---|
| 6:15 am | 6:15 am |
| 8:25 am | 8:25 am |
| 10:40 am | 10:40 am |
| 1:00 pm | 1:00 pm |
| 3:45 pm | 3:20 pm |
| 6:35 pm | 5:55 pm |
| 8:05 pm Thu-Mon only, except Apr 2 & 6 |
8:45 pm |
| 10:10 pm | 10:10 pm Thu-Mon only, except Apr 2 & 6 |
Metro Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) – Sunshine Coast (Langdale)
| Departing Horseshoe Bay | Departing Langdale |
|---|---|
| 7:30 am | 6:20 am |
| 9:45 am | 8:40 am |
| 11:55 am | 10:50 am |
| 2:10 pm | 1:05 pm |
| 4:20 pm | 3:15 pm |
| 5:30 pm | 5:25 pm |
| 7:50 pm | 6:40 pm |
| 10:55 pm | 8:55 pm |
For the updated Metro Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Southern Gulf Islands schedule please visit bcferries.com/schedules.
Customers with reservations on cancelled sailings on the Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay, Horseshoe Bay – Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay – Langdale routes will be contacted by Customer Care and moved to the next available sailing. Customers with reservations on cancelled sailings on the Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands will be refunded.
BC Ferries will ensure that capacity always remains above demand to ensure coastal communities have reliable access to marine transportation and the continued transportation of essential goods communities rely on.
BC Ferries has undertaken a number of important measures to ensure the health and safety of customers who need to continue to travel.
As this situation is rapidly evolving, BC Ferries encourages customers to monitor the website for any additional changes to service. For full details on service changes and the measures BC Ferries is taking in response to COVID-19, visit bcferries.com.
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Media Contact:
BC Ferries, Media Relations
Victoria: (250) 978-1267
Fax (250) 978-1119 bcferries.com/bcfnews/
Note to newsrooms: For urgent media inquiries off-hours, call our emergency pager at (250) 516-7211.
Customer Contact:
Victoria: (250) 386-3431
Toll-free: 1-888-BC FERRY (1-888-223-3779)