Details are still being finalized as to when BC Ferries will reduce its service to Salt Spring and the Southern Gulf Islands, as announced as part of a larger system-wide reduction on Friday.
BC Ferries says traffic across all of its routes is down approximately 80 per cent because of COVID-19. The Coastal Ferry Services Contract with the Province of British Columbia has been amended to permit the service reductions to reflect the change.
“The adjustments in service levels across BC Ferries are being taken to protect the health and safety of communities and our crew, match service levels to current demand and ensure the resiliency of coastal ferry service,” the corporation said in a service notice.
Major route changes including suspension of the Horseshoe Bay-Nanaimo route went into effect today and will be in place for the next 60 days. Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay sailings were also reduced from eight round trips daily to just four starting today.
BC Ferries states that when service to Long Harbour is suspended, most likely sometime later this week, Salt Spring will be served by its two other routes, Swartz Bay-Fulford Harbour and Crofton-Vesuvius. Southern Gulf Island sailings will be combined with the Swartz Bay to Southern Gulf Islands service to one ship service using a Salish class vessel based out of Swartz Bay transiting to Tsawwassen, and a second ship serving the Southern Gulf Islands to Swartz Bay.
Details on timing will be posted as soon as available. See also bcferries.com for schedule updates and service notices.