BC Ferries cancels more weekend sailings

BC Ferries cancelled several more sailings on Saturday due to limited crew availability.

The latest route to be affected by the ferry service's ongoing staffing issues is the Mill Bay – Brentwood Bay route.

All sailings from 1:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in both directions on the route have been cancelled, according to a service notice from BC Ferries.

Other sailings on the route are "expected to proceed as scheduled," the company said.

"We require a specific number of crew members on board the vessel to ensure the safety of our passengers in the unlikely event of an emergency and to comply with Transport Canada regulations," the service notice reads.

"The decision to cancel a sailing in these circumstances is made when we have exhausted all options to find replacement crew. That said, if circumstances change and replacement crew become available, we will notify customers immediately."

Several other sailings between Salt Spring Island and Vancouver Island were also cancelled Saturday, part of an ongoing schedule adjustment on the Fulford Harbour to Swartz Bay route caused by lack of crew.

All sailings on the route from 5:50 p.m. to 9 p.m. have been cancelled from Friday through next Saturday, July 30.

The route is operating on its normal schedule before the 5:50 p.m. sailing each day, and a free, 48-person water taxi is operating on the route's regular schedule in place of the Skeena Queen from 5:50 p.m. to 9 p.m., according to BC Ferries. 

Cancellations caused chaos for travellers attempting to get off of Salt Spring Island last weekend, with a combination of staffing shortages and mechanical issues leaving only one of the island's three BC Ferries routes in operation. 

After that incident, spokesperson Deborah Marshall revealed that employee absenteeism had doubled from what it was before the pandemic.

“It’s (now) about 11 per cent. So, we might have 400 or 500 employees unavailable at any given time now,” she told CTV News.

On Friday, BC Ferries made the unexpected announcement that it had fired CEO Mark Collins after five years. 

"Like many organizations, BC Ferries has faced recent staffing shortages, service interruptions and COVID-related challenges," said BC Ferries board chair Joy MacPhail in a statement announcing the change.

"There are no quick fixes to these systemic challenges but as a board, we believe it is time for renewal, fresh ideas and a renewed commitment to the highest standards of customer service, safety and affordability," she said.