Crew shortage prompts cancellation of all ferry sailings between 2 B.C. islands
All ferry sailings between two of B.C.'s Discovery Islands have been cancelled Saturday because of a lack of crew.
BC Ferries announced the cancellations on the route between Heriot Bay on Quadra Island and Whaletown on Cortes Island in a statement Saturday morning. Initially, the company said six sailings had been cancelled, but by 10 a.m., all 12 of the sailings on the route Saturday were affected.
"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," BC Ferries said in the statement.
"The decision to cancel a sailing in these circumstances is made when we have exhausted all options to find replacement crew."
The route between Quadra and Cortes islands is served by the vessel Tachek, which was built in 1969 and has a capacity of 150 passengers and crew, as well as 26 cars.
It's the only BC Ferries route serving Cortes Island.
"We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience you may experience as a result of these cancellations," the company said.
BC Ferries has been struggling with staff shortages for months, even as it works to hire more people and welcomes back employees who were placed on leave without pay because of the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for transportation workers.
The company said this week that it has hired approximately 850 workers since the start of the year. About 150 people were placed on leave because of the vaccine mandate.
"We are still struggling to find licensed experienced officers," BC Ferries president and CEO Mark Collins said late last month, noting the shortage of experienced mariners is a worldwide issue and has been for years.
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.
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.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
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.
NEW 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire': A crowd pleaser that turns it up to 11
Hot on the heels of last year's 'Godzilla Minus One' comes 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' the first ever Academy Award winner in the giant reptile's decades-long film career.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.