A BC Ferries vessel is one of five ferries that will be featured on Canada Post stamps to highlight ferry transportation in the country.
The Spirit of British Columbia is the vessel that will be featured from B.C., alongside two in Ontario, one in Quebec and one in New Brunswick.
Canada Post is launching the ferry transportation stamps to highlight the fundamental role waterway transportation has played in the country’s history and development.
“[W]ith Indigenous Peoples traditionally using canoes, kayaks, umiaks and other vessels to hunt, transfer goods and carry people along coastal regions and across lakes and rivers,” Canada Post said in an email statement. “Today, ferries in Canada transport millions of passengers and vehicles each year, playing important roles in regional transit systems and the tourism industry.”
The Spirit of British Columbia serves the Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen route with a capacity for 2,100 passengers and crew and more than 350 vehicles. It is one of the two largest vessels in BC Ferries fleet.
The other ferries featured on the stamps are the Chi-Cheemaun in Ontario, Trillium in Ontario, Alphonse-Desjardins in Quebec, and Grand Manan V in New Brunswick.
The Chi-Cheemaun sails between Tobermory and Manitoulin Island across Lake Huron. The name means “big canoe” in Ojibwe and runs from May to October.
The Trillium sails across Lake Ontario between Toronto and the Toronto Islands. It is the oldest ferry featured on the stamps and is a side-wheeled paddle steamer that can carry 800 passengers.
Alphonse-Desjardins services the St. Lawrence River between Québec City and Lévis. The journey offers views of Québec City’s old city and the fortifications from water.
Grand Manan V connects Blacks Harbour and Grand Manan Island over the Bay of Fundy. It navigates some of the world’s highest tides and gives passengers a chance to spot wildlife. In addition to passengers, the ferry transports millions of dollars worth of lobster, salmon and dulse each year.
The stamps can be purchased on BC Ferries website, or at postal outlets.
The stamps can be purchased as a sheet of 10 as shown above, or a souvenir sheet with five stamps. (Canada Post handout image)
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Laura Brougham
