BC Ferries cancellations ahead of Remembrance Day long weekend

It’s another day of headaches for people travelling between Metro Vancouver and Nanaimo, one day ahead of the Remembrance Day long weekend.

The provincial ferry service, BC Ferries, has cancelled sailings Thursday on its Horseshoe Bay and Departure Bay route.

Mechanical issues on the Queen of Surrey seen earlier in the week are still affecting routes out of Horseshoe Bay. As a result, only one boat is serving the Lower Mainland – Vancouver Island route.

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There are now only four sailings each way for the route, with departures from Departure Bay at 6:15 a.m., 10:40 a.m., 3:20 p.m. and 7:40 p.m. Sailings from Horseshoe Bay will now depart at 8:25 a.m., 1 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 9:40 p.m.

“We are working to resolve the issue and will keep you informed as more information becomes available,” BC Ferries said.

“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.”

But by 5 p.m. on Thursday, all sailings between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay had sold out for the day.

The ferry service was encouraging people who need to travel between the Lower Mainland and Nanaimo to instead use the Tsawwassen – Duke Point route as an alternative. However, as of 1:30 p.m., all remaining sailings for the day are sold out.

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