VICTORIA -- BC Ferries has cancelled dozens of sailings across many busy routes Friday morning as heavy winds batter the province's coast and Environment Canada warns Vancouver Island of snow and wind.

As of 9:15 a.m., sailings between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen have been cancelled up to 2 p.m. In Nanaimo, departures between Duke Point and Tsawwassen have been called off until at least 12:45 p.m., and ferries from Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay have been cancelled until 1 p.m.

Meanwhile, all sailings between Swartz Bay and the Gulf Islands have been put on hold until 1 p.m., and departures on the Powell River to Comox route have been cancelled up to 11:50 a.m.

BC Ferries says that further cancellations are possible, with the next sailings for all affected routes placed under a "to be determined" notice.

The ferry cancellations come as Environment Canada places most of B.C.'s coast under weather alerts. The entirety of Vancouver Island is facing snowfall or wind warnings, or a combination of both, according to the weather agency.

In Greater Victoria , winds of up to 80 km/h are expected to sweep across the region in the morning, which could cause damage or change road conditions. 

In East Vancouver Island, a snowfall warning has been placed for many communities, ranging from Duncan to Nanaimo to Campbell River and beyond. In these areas, between five and 15 cm of snow are expected to fall by mid-Friday morning. 

For Inland Vancouver Island, a similar five to 15 cm is expected to fall by the mid-morning. 

In West Vancouver Island, Environment Canada is expecting gusts of strong southerly winds to develop. Heavy winds reaching 90 km/h are expected to pass through the area before easing later in the morning.

Lastly, in North Vancouver Island, strong winds are also predicted for the region. Gusts of up to 90 km/h are expected to pass over exposed coastal sections of the island, which could toss loose objects or cause injury, warns Environment Canada. 

The latest updates on Vancouver Island's weather alerts can be found on Environment Canada's website online here. 

The latest information on BC Ferries sailings can be found on the organizations' Twitter account, or at their website online here.