More BC Ferries sailing cancellations for the Canada Day long weekend

More service disruptions are ahead for those hoping to get on a ferry on Canada Day between Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver.

It comes after a frustrating Thursday for many BC Ferries passengers after one of the vessels had to be pulled from service, leading to major cancellations.

BC Ferries says the engine troubles on the Queen of Alberni remain, despite efforts to repair the vessel, and the Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Horseshoe Bay (West Vancouver) sailings are impacted as a result.

Shout out to @BCFerries employees working so hard to get as many of us off for the long weekend as they can. One just saved our bacon. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/66sjMItjyb

— amyrvancouver (@amyrvancouver) July 1, 2022

“Though the repairs to the Queen of Alberni are significant, with a number of tests and trials remaining to ensure it is ready to sail, we anticipate it will resume service for its 7:40 am sailing from Departure Bay on Saturday, July 2, 2022,” BC Ferries says.

Queen of Alberni cancelled sailings July 1, 2022:
7:40 am out of Departure Bay
10:00 am out of Horseshoe Bay
12:25 pm out of Departure Bay
2:45 pm out of Horseshoe Bay
5:00 pm out of Departure Bay
7:20 pm out of Horseshoe Bay

For travellers, there are alternate sailings, however the majority of the reservations are full and BC Ferries is suggesting those without a booking to consider walking on instead.

Related Articles:

• BC Ferries cancels several sailings between Horseshoe Bay and Departure Bay

• BC Ferries busy Wednesday morning ahead of Canada Day

• As Washington state shows, BC Ferries not alone in navigating mariner shortage challenges

BC Ferries had warned that the Canada Day long weekend would be very busy, as it always is, but perhaps more so due to the rebound in travellers not seen throughout the pandemic.

In addition, Canada’s borders are reopened to vaccinated international travellers, and BC Ferries Deb Marshall says that means many Americans are set to travel to B.C. for their own holiday on Monday, July 4.

It’s really unprofessional to cancel a ferry, less than a day before the trip, and don’t provide any alternative!
I hope you understand that there are other bookings that are affected by this; camps, hotels, rentals, etc. You just made the long weekend ruined for many!

— Marko Krsmanovic (@krsmanovic) June 30, 2022

One man says he had looked forward to visiting B.C. following years of COVID restrictions, but found himself stuck at the terminal all day Thursday.

“It’s not traumatic but it’s frustrating to come all the way to Canada to sit in a car park, it’s not what it’s all about,” he said.

A woman visiting from Scotland also had her holiday plans delayed due to the cancellations.

“That’s really disappointing because obviously everything is predetermined before you travel, you have all these bookings and if something goes wrong it knocks everything off as well later on,” she told CityNews.

With files from Martin MacMahon