BC Ferries warns of cancellations over the summer

BC Ferries is warning the public to brace for ferry cancellations this summer due to staff shortages.

That warning came Thursday, the same day the company cancelled two sailings between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen because of staff shortages.

BC Ferries says it hired a record 1,200 new employees this year but is still is facing a staffing shortage.

Last summer it hired 850 new staff and there were still 300 cancelled sailings due to crew shortages.

BC Ferries president and CEO Nicolas Jimenez says he doesn't know how many more staff are needed and can’t predict the number of cancellations this summer, but says it’s going to be a problem because regulations require a certain number of staff on every vessel and there are simply a lack of backup employees right now, especially in Swartz Bay and Nanaimo.

“We’ve done a lot to build in more resilience and yet we know that we will still struggle because the challenge we have is profound," said Jimenez on Thursday. "It's not just BC Ferries; there is a global shortage of mariners — somewhere in the order of 21,000."

BC Ferries has added more sailings for the summer, requiring hundreds of extra crew members, as it plans to transport approximately 2.6 million vehicles and seven million passengers between now and Labour Day.

Jimenez says he knows the company needs to modify its approach to attracting more staff, including offering higher wages.

For now, he’s encouraging travellers to book ahead for sailings and to travel in off-peak times this to avoid long waits.