BC Ferries expects heavy traffic over Thanksgiving long weekend, says foot passengers may see waits
BC Ferries is warning travellers that the upcoming Thanksgiving long weekend will be a busy one along its major routes.
Between Thursday, Oct. 6, and Tuesday, Oct. 11, BC Ferries estimates that over 420,000 passengers and 160,000 vehicles will make a ferry trip.
During that time, BC Ferries will be adding 85 extra sailings across its network, most of which will be added to the Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay route.
BC Ferries is adding sailings to these three routes between Thursday and Tuesday:
- Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay: 66 extra sailings, including 6 a.m. departures from both Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen each day
- Horseshoe Bay – Departure Bay: 12 extra sailings
- Horseshoe Bay – Langdale: Seven extra sailings
Service changes are also expected for southern Gulf Island customers between Salt Spring, Pender, Galiano and Saturna islands on Oct. 10 to meet estimated traffic demands, though BC Ferries did not specify what those changes entailed in its release Monday.
POSSIBLE WAITS
BC Ferries is warning walk-on passengers that they may see possible waits during the upcoming long weekend.
"The Thanksgiving long weekend is typically the most popular weekend of the year for walk-on passengers," said BC Ferries in a release Monday.
"At peak times, some sailings may reach passenger capacity and some walk-on customers may experience a sailing wait."
BC Ferries says walk-on passengers can reserve spot for free on any of the three routes that connect Vancouver Island to Metro Vancouver, and along the Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands route.
To avoid waits, BC Ferries also encourages walk-on and vehicle passengers to book off-peak sailing times, which are offered at discounted prices through its "saver" fares.
Off-peak times generally include early morning or late evening sailings, as well as mid-week days.
"BC Ferries appreciates the professionalism of staff and the patience of customers as the company navigates one of the busiest long weekends of the year," said the company Monday.
"Abusive behaviour will not be tolerated and everyone is encouraged to be respectful, kind, calm, and safe."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Angst and calls for resting places as Surrey, B.C., pet cemetery development continues
A single headstone is all that remains of dozens of markers for long-buried pets in a subdivision in Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood, where a half-acre parcel bears a large sign announcing the proposed construction of new homes.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.