Hours-long waits greet BC Ferries passengers ahead of long weekend
Anyone looking to catch a ferry from the B.C. mainland to Vancouver Island ahead of the long weekend is looking at lengthy delays.
As of 3:45 p.m. Thursday, sailings departing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay and Duke Point are full for the remainder of the day, according to BC Ferries.
"We are extremely busy at the Tsawwassen and Horseshoe Bay terminals this afternoon," said BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall.
"Customers without a reservation are having to face multiple sailing waits," she said.
Sailings going from Vancouver Island to Tsawwassen remain available in the evening as of Thursday afternoon.
BC Ferries is advising travellers who want to travel from the mainland to Vancouver Island to take the Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay route Thursday, though spots are limited.
Marshall told CTV News on Thursday afternoon that the ferry service was trying to add another sailing from the mainland to the island Thursday night.
"I know there are some customers who are not happy with the situation right now, but it is the busiest weekend of the year and we are advising customers, if they are travelling without a reservation, they may want to consider travelling at off-peak times," said Marshall.
BC Ferries adds that it thinks that wildfires in the Interior may be impacting this weekend's traffic volumes.
"We are assuming there were some people who were planning on heading to the Interior this weekend, but because of the smoke and the restrictions they are maybe choosing to come to Vancouver Island instead, and it's maybe a last minute decision," Marshall said.
On Monday, BC Ferries warned of likely sailing delays during the B.C. Day long weekend, from Thursday, July 29 to Tuesday, Aug. 3.
The company says that the August long weekend is usually its busiest long weekend of the year, with peak travel times occurring on Thursday afternoon, Friday afternoon, and Saturday morning for sailings departing from Tsawwassen and Horseshoe Bay.
BC Ferries adds that B.C. Day Monday, Aug. 2, is usually the busiest day for people returning to the mainland from Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.
The company recommends avoiding these peak travel times to minimize the risk of waiting for a sailing delay, and to arrive well in advance of your desired sailing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Record-breaking N.B. lottery winner kept winning ticket on dresser for nearly a year
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Gangs netting up to US$3 trillion a year as Southeast Asia human trafficking becomes a global crisis, Interpol says
Human trafficking-fuelled fraud is exploding in Southeast Asia with organized crime rings raking in close to US$3 trillion in illicit revenue annually, the head of Interpol has said in comments that reveal the huge profits being earned by cartels.