While border crossings into the United States remain down, BC Ferries is warning its vessels are going to be busy this Easter long weekend, especially with two key vessels out of service.
BC Ferries is encouraging customers to plan ahead, particularly those travelling on the busy Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay-Langdale routes, and warned that customers without reservations should expect “very limited” standby availability during peak travel days.
Thursday and Friday heading to Vancouver Island and Sunday and Monday returning to the mainland are considered peak travel days.
“We know people are travelling this long weekend to visit family, support local businesses, and enjoy all that this beautiful province has to offer,” Melanie Lucia, vice-president of customer experience at BC Ferries, said in a statement.
“British Columbians rely on the ferry system, and we’re doing everything we can to keep them moving. With a little extra planning, there are still ways to travel smoothly and stay connected to the places and people that matter.”
Border crossings into the U.S. remain down, compared to April last year.
Data shows vehicles crossing southbound at the Peace Arch were between 9,000 and 11,000 heading into the Easter long weekend in 2024, while this year, numbers are between 5,900 and 8,500.
BC Ferries announced in March that it will be getting four new vessels.
The new vessels will replace the aging Queens of Alberni, New Westminster, Coquitlam, and Cowichan, which are the oldest major ships still in use.
BC Ferries applied for five new diesel-battery hybrid, all-electric-ready ships, but the independent British Columbia Ferries Commissioner approved four.
The Queen of Surrey is currently undergoing its annual refit, which was delayed due to unplanned but necessary repairs on the 60-year-old Queen of New Westminster and the 44-year-old Queen of Oak Bay.
The Queen of Coquitlam is providing relief service for the Queen of Surrey and, as a result, was not available to provide the additional sailings typically offered over the Easter holiday period.
BC Ferries said that while the Queen of Surrey will undergo a life extension concurrent with the New Major Vessels project, neither it nor the Queen of Oak Bay are being retired when the four new vessels begin entering service in 2029.
“This isn’t just about one ship — it’s about the challenge of operating a fleet where many major vessels are more than 40 years old,” Ed Hooper, executive director of Shipbuilding at BC Ferries said in a statement.
“That’s why we’re moving quickly on the four New Major Vessels recently approved by our regulator, with the goal of awarding vessel construction contracts by June. As no Canadian shipyards submitted proposals, our plan is to build globally and maintain locally. We received interest from several world-class international shipyards, and we’re focused on selecting a partner that can deliver the vessels on time, affordably, and to a high standard.”