BC Ferries says disruptions possible during peak season, focusing on recovery

BC Ferries has said it is ready for peak season, but it is also being “realistic” about pressures on the system.

The ferry service has faced criticism this spring after a slew of service disruptions left staff scrambling to provide service.

Many of the disruptions can be attributed to an aging fleet, officials said. BC Ferries operates with 37 vessels across 25 routes and 47 terminals, but demand keeps growing.

Ridership on BC Ferries has been steadily rising since the pandemic and peaked in 2025, coinciding with the added tensions with the United States beginning with Donald Trump’s second term.

During the 2025 summer peak period, BC Ferries carried 10.3 million passengers and more than four million vehicles across all routes.

This summer, the World Cup could bring even more passengers. Seven matches will be hosted at BC Place starting June 13, and Vancouver is expecting 350,000 spectators over the course of the tournament.

The influx of people to Vancouver could also spark an increase in tourism for surrounding communities. With 45 per cent of these visitors from outside Canada and the U.S., two per cent from the U.S., and five per cent from other places in Canada, many of these visitors will spill over to other places in the province including Vancouver Island.

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Brian Anderson, VP of strategy and planning at BC Ferries, said they are unsure how FIFA will impact the system, but assume demand for ferry services will be higher.

“We do know there’s going to be more people in British Columbia, and more people moving in and around Vancouver,” he said at a press briefing Wednesday.

To accommodate demand, Anderson said BC Ferries will be operating at “peak output” which includes additional trips being added to the schedule. More than 630 seasonal workers have been hired to staff these trips.

“We know one of the biggest drivers of frustration is uncertainty,” Melanie Lucia, VP of customer experience, said at the briefing. She said BC Ferries is committed to providing information on delays and capacity beforehand to provide a smoother experience for customers.

This includes booking alerts that will be available for trips between Horseshoe Bay and Nanaimo, and waitlists for travel between Comox and Powell River.

With demand growing, Anderson said the goal this year is to “use the capacity as effectively as possible.” BC Ferries maintenance team began refit work earlier this year to ensure that all vessels were able to be in service for peak season.

He said 22 vessels underwent refits this year, calling it “very highly coordinated work”.

Following a series of disruptions to the Queen of Surrey, a representative for BC Ferries said there is “no quick fix” to the issues plaguing the system.

Lindsay Matthews, VP of public affairs and marketing, said Wednesday, “when there is a disruption, our focus is to recover as soon as possible.”

For long-term fixes, Anderson said BC Ferries will acquire eight new vessels over the next five years which will provide a 135 per cent increase in passenger capacity.

“Trust is built through what we deliver, not just through what we say,” he said.

Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog told Global News it seems the service has taken a positive step forward.

“I think they’re doing a good job this year in terms of what they’re saying they’re going to do and what they’ve done particularly around regular maintenance,” he said. “I have been a critic of BC Ferries from time to time as any islander often is, but today I want to offer them support.

“With what they seem to have done I think we should expect, as I say, a summer of smoother sailing than we did last year.”