BC Ferries sailings cancelled Sunday night due to lack of crew
BC Ferries cancelled two sailings between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland on Sunday because of a lack of crew.
The 9:30 p.m. sailing from Departure Bay in Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver on the Queen of Alberni was cancelled, as was the return voyage scheduled for 11:40 p.m.
Earlier in the day, BC Ferries had issued a service notice indicating that some sailings on the route were in jeopardy because of crew availability. Enough available workers were found to keep the rest of the scheduled sailings on the route running.
The ferry service said staff would be contacting customers with reservations on the cancelled sailings to let them know if space is available on an alternate sailing or if their booking must be cancelled.
"In the case of a cancellation, we will refund fees and/or fares," BC Ferries said in a service notice.
The Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay route was not the only one to see cancellations on Sunday. Several sailings on the vessel Quinsam between Crofton on Vancouver Island and Vesuvius on Salt Spring Island were cancelled, as well.
BC Ferries said all of the vessel's sailings in both directions from 6:45 p.m. on had been cancelled.
Two water taxis, with a total capacity of 18 passengers, will operate on the route in place of the cancelled Quinsam sailings, the ferry service 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," BC Ferries said. "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."
The company has been struggling with limited crew availability and periodic sailing cancellations for months.
Last month, just a week before former CEO Mark Collins was dismissed, BC Ferries said the level of absenteeism among employees had doubled from where it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
At any given time, a spokesperson said, approximately 11 per cent of the ferry service's employees are unavailable because of illness, vacation, or other reasons.
The company advises travellers to check its Twitter account or visit the current conditions page on its website for the most up-to-date sailing and departure information.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Testifying in hush money trial, adult film actor Stormy Daniels describes first meeting Trump
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential election 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Katy Perry's mom was fooled by AI images of the singer at the Met Gala
Katy Perry did not attend the Met Gala on Monday, but some of the singer’s fans – and even her mom – thought she did.