‘Unofficial end of summer’ impacting BC Ferries amid rising COVID-19 cases

TSAWWASSEN (NEWS 1130) — You had best have a reservation if you’re making moves toward Vancouver Island this weekend as BC Ferries is expecting long sailing waits.

The most popular times to leave the mainland are Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

Early Friday morning, many of the most popular sailings were already booked up, particularly the sailings leaving Tsawwassen terminal and West Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay terminal.

“We do see traffic leaving Metro Vancouver at the beginning of the Long Weekend and we will see that traffic returning on the holiday Monday as well as Tuesday,” BC Ferries spokesperson Deb Marshall said.

But, it’s a big change from the previous long weekend exodus, which saw some waiting for hours during the busiest travel weekend of the year for sailings, as well as a booking mix up which saw dozens of people reserve a sailing which never existed.

COVID-19 Concerns

Everyone on a ferry, unless eating or in their car, will need to wear a mask. The mask mandate was reinstated last week as the province continues to face mounting COVID-19 cases driven by the Delta variant.

“Masks are mandatory again [in] indoor public spaces our vessels and at our terminal buildings, regardless of the status of your vaccination,” Marshall explained.

However, BC Ferries passengers will not have to show their vaccine passport come Sept. 13 in the cafeteria or buffet, as the province says it is exempt because it’s an essential service.

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On Thursday, B.C.’s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry urged people to reschedule their long weekend plans to northern B.C., as the health region is seeing an explosion of new cases, and over taxed hospitals.

Henry says the region is also below the average for vaccination rates and announced more restrictions would be in place soon for those residents living in the health region.

B.C.’s Interior has also been under more restrictions as of result of its COVID-19 cases, and travel to the Central Okanagan remains discouraged at this time.

“The B.C. Day long weekend we did see more travellers because of the Okanagan [restrictions],” Marshall said.

Cases on Thursday were highest in the Fraser Health region, and have also been climbing on Vancouver Island.

There are no travel mandates in place in the province.

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Land crossings

Labour Day is marked on Monday in Canada and the U.S., and the newly reopened border into Canada is also expected to be busier than usual as a result.

Only fully vaccinated Americans can come into Canada, while Canadians are still not allowed south until at least Sept. 21.

After the long weekend, Canada will begin accepting fully vaccinated foreign nationals for discretionary (non-essential) reasons, such as tourism.

There are restrictions in place for those travellers.

More travel into Vancouver Island

On Sept. 6, there will also be more ways to enter Canada from the U.S., as the federal government announced some popular small ferry terminals will be reopening. In B.C., they include the Alaska State Ferry Terminal, Washington State Ferry Terminal, and the Belleville Terminal.

“The Belleville Terminal is an important entry way to the region and a key engine of the region’s economy. The Coho and Clipper are critical links for Victorians with our neighbours to the south and we look forward to this long-standing border crossing being reopened,” Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said earlier this month.

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