BC Ferries cancels some Sunday sailings due to staff shortages

BC Ferries cancels some Sunday sailings due to staff shortages
CHEK

A staffing shortage has once again led to the cancellation of multiple BC Ferries sailings on the company’s busiest route Sunday.

BC Ferries notified passengers that due to crewing issues on the Queen of New Westminster, the 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. sailings departing Tsawwassen, as well as the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. sailings departing Swartz Bay, were cancelled.

Alternate service was available via the Tsawwassen-Duke Point and Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay routes.

“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,” said BC Ferries.

“Our Customer Service Centre will contact customers with bookings on these cancelled sailings to let them know if we have space available to fit them on an alternate sailing later in the day, or if their booking must be cancelled.”

Any passengers who have their tickets cancelled will be refunded, the company said.

Sailings have been cancelled due to staffing challenges several times in the past week alone, and the union representing ferry workers says more are likely to come due to issues retaining workers.

Approximately 200 employees also remain off the job because of the federal vaccine mandate that remains in place. At the same time, demand for ferries is building, nearing pre-pandemic highs.

CHEK NewsCHEK News

Recent Stories

Send us your news tips and videos!