Travel advisory: RBC GranFondo Whistler View ×

Posted: Tuesday, September 8 at 11:38 am

RBC GranFondo
Horseshoe Bay Sailings

Saturday, September 12, 2026

The RBC GranFondo Whistler cycling event from downtown Vancouver to Whistler will take place on Saturday, September 12. Traffic modifications will be in effect for customers travelling through the Horseshoe Bay terminal before 9:30 am on that day.

Customers planning to travel on sailings departing Horseshoe Bay on the morning of Saturday, September 12, please note that Westbound Highway 1 and northbound Highway 99 traffic will be rerouted via Exit 2 to Old Highway 99, also known as Horseshoe Bay Drive, and will re-enter northbound Highway 99 at Pasco Road.

The detour will be in effect from 5:30 am to 10:30 am. We suggest customers allow enough travel time to arrive at the terminal before the scheduled sailing of their choice.

For customers travelling on sailings that arrive at Horseshoe Bay terminal before 9:00 am on September 12, traffic leaving Horseshoe Bay will be rerouted to Marine Drive through West Vancouver from 5:30 am to 9:00 am.

Eastbound heavy trucks travelling between Horseshoe Bay, Taylor Way, and southbound Highway 99 will be redirected to a temporary holding area in Horseshoe Bay from 5:30 am to 9:00 am.

Heavy trucks will not be permitted on Marine Drive through West Vancouver during this period and may re-enter Highway 1 after the eastbound lanes reopen.

BC Ferries wishes all the participants success in the RBC GranFondo Whistler event. For further information about the revised traffic patterns, visit RBCGranfondo.

For up-to-date sailing and departure information, check Current Conditions, follow @BCFerries on X, or phone 1-888-223-3779 for further assistance.

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For Immediate Release
20-004
January 31, 2020

BC Ferries awards contract for additional Salish Class vessels

VICTORIA – BC Ferries continues to roll out its Clean Futures Plan and has awarded Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. of Gdansk, Poland a contract to build an additional liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fuelled vessel scheduled to go into service in the Southern Gulf Islands in 2022. This vessel will be identical to the three Salish Class vessels built by Remontowa for BC Ferries in 2016.

“Our Clean Futures Plan is our path to replace diesel fuels with cleaner energy options. While this cannot be achieved in a single step, we are continually seeking energy sources that offer a cleaner, lower carbon-intensity option to displace non-renewable diesel,” said Captain Jamie Marshall, BC Ferries’ Vice President, Business Development & Innovation. “In our move towards a sustainable future, adopting LNG is one way to reduce our impact on the environment today. This new vessel will be our sixth ship fuelled by natural gas.”

The agreement with Remontowa is a design-build, fixed-priced contract that provides BC Ferries with substantial guarantees related to delivery dates, performance criteria, cost certainty and quality construction. The total project budget, which includes financing and project management costs, is approximately $92.3 million.

The 107-metre Salish Class vessel will have the capacity to carry at least 138 vehicles and up to 600 passengers and crew. It will allow for the retirement of the Mayne Queen, a diesel-fuelled vessel. The ship will be powered by three Wartsila engines and electrically propelled by Schottel thrusters at each end, driven by an efficient gas-electric power plant. Onboard amenities include a Coastal Café, Passages retail store, children’s play area and a passenger lounge.

The ship will have a number of key features that support BC Ferries’ goal to be efficient and environmentally responsible throughout its system. Highlights of the Salish Class vessels include:
 
  • The use of natural gas as the primary fuel that reduces GHG emissions by 15 to 25 per cent, reduces sulphur oxides by over 85 per cent, reduces nitrogen oxides by over 50 per cent and nearly eliminates particulate matter
  • Electric propulsion that eliminates gear boxes and shaft
  • Twin propellers that reduce cavitation
  • Hull designed for very small wake
  • Advanced hull coating that reduces flow disturbance and environmental leaching
  • Engine management system that reduces machinery running
  • Resilient engine mount that isolates structure borne noise
BC Ferries issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI) for the construction of the vessels to leading shipyards in Canada and around the world in July 2018. In the lead up to this process, BC Ferries raised awareness of the upcoming tender to Canadian shipyards through forums such as the Canadian Ferry Association, the Association of British Columbia Marine Industries and other local and national industry events. Canadian shipyards were invited to participate in the competitive bidding process.

BC Ferries received responses from 16 international shipyards and short-listed three shipyards to proceed to the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage. No Canadian companies submitted a bid.

Remontowa Holding is the largest shipbuilding capital group in Poland and the leader of the industrial sector in the region, incorporating 25 companies. Remontowa Shipbuilding, one of the leading companies belonging to Remontowa Holding, will build BC Ferries’ new ship in Gdansk, Poland. Remontowa Shipbuilding has considerable engineering expertise and a proven track record in delivering ferries and other vessels for numerous international clients. To date, Remontowa Shipbuilding has delivered over 1,000 vessels.
 
Salish Class features:
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Media Contact:
BC Ferries, Communications
Victoria: (250) 978-1267
Fax (250) 978-1119 bcferries.com/bcfnews
Note to newsrooms: For urgent media inquiries off-hours, call our emergency line at (250) 516-7211.

Customer Contact:
Victoria: (250) 386-3431
Toll-free: 1-888-BCFERRY (1-888-223-3779)

British Columbia Ferry Services Inc.
500-1321 Blanshard Street, Victoria, BC V8W 0B7
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