Travellers warned of BC Ferries Tsawwassen/Swartz Bay sailing cancellations
Posted June 21, 2022 9:09 am.
Last Updated June 21, 2022 11:26 am.
BC Ferries is warning passengers about several new cancellations on a busy route, as a result of its ongoing staffing issues.
More than a dozen sailings over the span of nine days have had to be cancelled between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay.
BC Ferries says the staffing woes are specifically on the Queen of New Westminster and will affect travel starting Wednesday.
Read more: BC Ferries passengers left confused after cancellations were cancelled
List of BC Ferries cancellations:
Wednesday, June 22
4:00 pm departing Tsawwassen
6:00 pm departing Swartz Bay
Thursday, June 23 – Saturday, June 25
6:00 am departing Tsawwassen
8:00 am departing Swartz Bay
6:00 pm departing Tsawwassen
8:00 pm departing Swartz Bay
Sunday, June 26
8:00 am departing Tsawwassen
10:00 am departing Swartz Bay
8:00 pm departing Tsawwassen
10:00 pm departing Swartz Bay
Monday, June 27 – Thursday, June 30
6:00 am departing Tsawwassen
8:00 am departing Swartz Bay
6:00 pm departing Tsawwassen
8:00 pm departing Swartz Bay
“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 wrote on its website.
“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.”
As of Monday, BC Ferries employees no longer need to be immunized, after Ottawa lifted its vaccine mandate for federal workers.
“As of yesterday, we’ve suspended our mandatory vaccination policy. We are in the process of contacting approximately 150 employees currently on leave without pay to check on their intention of returning to BC Ferries,” BC Ferries spokesperson Deb Marshall said.
It’s unclear how many of those employees are highly skilled mariners, such as Chief Engineers, which are required to be on the ferry in order to meet Transport Canada rules.
She adds that BC Ferries has already hired 850 employees through its recent recruitment efforts, and actively continuing to search for mariners.
With files from Liza Yuzda
