Next year’s shift to two-ferry service on the Vesuvius-Crofton route may mark the end of homeporting the Quinsam on Salt Spring, but the change shouldn’t reduce the number of staff who live and work from this island, according to BC Ferries officials.
The ferry company anticipates early sailings are likely to remain less busy than those later in the day, so when the two Island Class diesel-electric hybrid vessels arrive in the fall of 2026, officials said they plan to stagger crews’ shifts to meet demand — meaning workers who live on Salt Spring won’t necessarily need to move away, according to senior communications advisor Sheila Reynolds, who said the ferry company recognized early the impact moving the home port might have on both employees and the broader island community.
“While both vessels are homeported out of Crofton, Salt Spring Island-based employees will still have the option to remain on the route, by using the primary vessel to commute to Crofton to start their day on the secondary vessel,” said Reynolds, adding that staff who preferred not to remain on the route will get the option to transition to other regular positions on Salt Spring.
Additional positions necessary for the two-ferry service have already been posted, Reynolds said, adding that BC Ferries is working closely with employees and the BC Ferry & Marine Workers’ Union to ensure a smooth transition.
The ferry company has argued implementing a two-ferry service plan will reduce traffic congestion at both terminals as sailing frequency rises — potentially also shortening wait times for vehicles and passengers. And with both vessels homeported at Crofton, BC Ferries has said it also expects crew recruitment and retention to rise with the larger potential employee pool on Vancouver Island — which should have the follow-on effect of fewer sailing delays and cancellations due to crew shortages.
While the ferry company plans terminal work at both the Vesuvius and Crofton terminals starting this fall, there will be significantly more done on the far side. Work at Vesuvius will be limited to maintenance and repairs to the existing berth and trestle on Salt Spring — all of which could begin as late as spring 2027, according to a BC Ferries timeline — while the Crofton side will see significant utility upgrades starting at the end of this summer and construction of a new, second lay-by berth by next spring, to support the plan to keep both ferries there overnight.