Brace for long ferry lineups

Photo: Glacier Media

Long lines, hot asphalt and sailing waits are as much a part of a West Coast summer long weekend as barbecues and ice cream, and it appears those seemingly endless lines of cars will be around for years to come.

Despite the $1.4-billion budget B.C. Ferries has earmarked for terminal upgrades and $2.3 billion for vessels over the next 10 years, there’s no short-term relief on the way for those who travel the province’s waterways on the busiest weekends.

Mark Wilson, B.C. Ferries’ vice-president of strategy and community engagement, said some initiatives are being considered to deal with the crush of people and vehicles that turn up at the corporation’s 47 terminals on long weekends, but there’s no easy fix.

“[Capacity] is a piece that is talked about a lot,” he said. “You’re trying to balance the needs of efficiency and being fiscally responsible. You’re designing a system capable of handling your busiest times, yet structured to be efficient as you operate well below maximum capacity.

“Trying to find that balance is very key to us.”

B.C. Ferries has a pilot program to offer discounted fares for people willing to travel at off-peak times. That program, which has had some success, will be refined and expanded later this year.

Wilson said there have been and will continue to be discussions with the province about an extra vessel for its busiest route, between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen.

“With strong demand in the summer, we are concerned about Route 1. That it is starting to reach peak capacity in the summer months,” he said. “There are options on the table.”

Wilson said the renovation of Swartz Bay terminal, set to begin in 2021 and be done over several phases in 10 years, will also help deal with peak demand. Swartz Bay is the system’s second-largest and second-busiest terminal after Tsawwassen — about 7.5 million passengers pass through each year.

Nothing will be in place, however, to handle the crush of traffic expected Labour Day weekend, which kicks off with an expected rush to the terminals on Thursday evening.

To avoid sailing waits, B.C. Ferries recommends making a reservation.