BC Ferries | |
---|---|
Based: |
British Columbia, Canada |
Vessels in service: |
36 |
Routes: |
25 |
Website: |
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Slogan: |
Experience the difference |
The British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. or more commonly known as BC Ferries is a Canadian ferry company that provides ferry services in the western Canadian province of British Columbia. The company was formed in the late 50's, after a strike by employees of Black Ball Line caused the government to form BC Ferries. The very first route of the company was the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen route with the first ferries of the fleet, the Sidney and the Tsawwassen serving the route. Since then, the company has grown massively with 25 main routes, 11 classes and 36 vessels currently owned by the company. The Spirit of British Columbia and the Spirit of Vancouver Island are the current flagships of the company. The company's worst accident occured in 2006, when the Queen of the North, bound for Port Hardy, collided with Gil Island and sank in the early hours of the morning. All but two passengers were rescued. Another infamous incident occured when the Queen of Oak Bay lost power outside the terminal at Horseshoe Bay and crashed into a nearby marina. Nobody was hurt and the ferry sustained minor damage. 28 pleasure craft, however, were either damaged or destroyed.
Routes[]
Current Routes[]
- 1: Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay
- 2: Horseshoe Bay - Departure Bay
- 3: Horseshoe Bay - Langdale
- 4: Swartz Bay - Fulford Harbour
- 5: Swartz Bay - Southern Gulf Islands
- 5A: Swartz Bay - Southern Gulf Islands
- 6: Crofton - Vesuvius
- 7: Saltery Bay - Earls Cove
- 8: Horseshoe Bay - Snug Cove
- 9: Southern Gulf Islands - Tsawwassen
- 9A: Tsawwassen - Southern Gulf Islands (Peak Season only)
- 10: Port Hardy - Prince Rupert (Inside Passage)
- 11: Prince Rupert - Skidegate (Haida Gwaii)
- 12: Mill Bay - Brentwood Bay
- 17: Comox - Powell River
- 18: Powell River - Texada Island
- 19: Nanaimo Harbour - Gabriola Island
- 20: Chemainus - Thetis Island - Penelakut Island
- 21: Buckley Bay - Denman Island West
- 22: Denman Island - Hornby Island (Gravelly Bay - Shingle Spit)
- 23: Campbell River - Quadra Island
- 24: Quadra Island - Cortes Island
- 25: Port McNiell - Alert Bay - Sointula
- 26: Skidegate - Alliford Bay
- 28: Port Hardy - Bella Coola (Discovery Coast) (Summer)
- 28A Discover Coast Connector (Year-round)
- 30: Tsawwassen - Duke Point
Former[]
- 40: Port Hardy - Bella Coola (Discovery Coast)
- Kelsey Bay - Northern Vancouver Island
Contracted Routes (Regulated)[]
- 13 Langdale - Gambier Island - Keats Island (Operated by Kona Winds Yacht Charters Ltd.) (Passenger only)
Contracted Routes (Unregulated)[]
Routes not under the Coastal Ferry Service Contract but contracted to other companies by BC Ferries
- 25u: Port McNeill - Alert Bay - Sointula (Acts as water taxi & school trips) ( Operated by Western Pacific Marine Ltd. Spirit of Yalis)
- 51: Ahousaht – Hot Springs Cove - Tofino (Operated by Ocean Outfitters)
- 53: Kyuquot – Tahsis – Gold River (Operated by Get West Adventure Cruises)
- 54: Dodge Cove – Prince Rupert
- 55: French Creek - Lasqueti Island (Operated by Western Pacific Marine Ltd.)
- 59: Port Alberni - Kildonan - Bamfield - Port Alberni (Operated by Lady Rose Marine Services)
- 60: Hartley Bay – Kitkatla – Oona River – Metlakatla – Prince Rupert (Operated by North Co Corp)
- Prince Rupert – Tuck Inlet (Operated by Lax Kw'alaams First Nations with MV Nicola)
Terminals[]
Metro Vancouver & Southern Vancouver Island[]
- Tsawwassen
- Horseshoe Bay
- Snug Cove
- Swartz Bay
- Brentwood Bay
- Mill Bay
- Crofton
- Chemainus
- Duke Point
- Nanaimo Harbour
- Departure Bay
Sunshine Coast & Texada Island[]
- Langdale
- New Brighton
- Keats Landing
- Eastbourne
- Saltery Bay
- Earls Cove
- Westview
- Blubber Bay
Southern Gulf Islands[]
- Sturdies Bay
- Village Bay
- Lyall Harbour
- Otter Bay
- Long Harbour
- Fulford Harbour
- Vesuvius
- Telegraph Harbour
- Preedy Harbour
Northern Vancouver Island & Northern Gulf Islands[]
- Buckley Bay
- Denman Island West
- Gravelly Bay
- Shingle Spit
- Little River
- Campbell River
- Quathiaski Cove
- Heriot Bay
- Whaletown
- Alert Bay
- Sointula
- Port McNiell
- Bear Cove
Central & Northern Coast & Haida Gwaii[]
- McLoughlin Bay
- Shearwater
- Ocean Falls
- Bella Coola
- Klemtu
- Prince Rupert
- Skidegate
- Alliford Bay
Fleet[]
Cable vessel[]
Name | Thumbnail | Year | Port of Registry | Class | Vehicle capacity | Passenger capacity | Route(s) served | Notes |
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Baynes Sound Connector | 2015 | Victoria, BC | None | 50 | 150 | 21 |
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Conventional vessels[]
Name | Year | Port of Registry | Class | Vehicle capacity | Passenger capacity | Route served | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coastal Celebration | 2008 | Victoria, BC | Coastal | 370 | 1604 | 1 | |
Coastal Inspiration | 2008 | Victoria, BC | Coastal | 370 | 1604 | 30 | |
Coastal Renaissance | 2007 | Victoria, BC | Coastal | 370 | 1604 | 2 (peak)
1, 30 (off-peak, relief) |
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Island Aurora | 2019 | Victoria, BC | Island | 47 | 300 | 25 | |
Island Discovery | 2019 | Victoria, BC | Island | 47 | 300 | 18 | |
Island Gwawis | 2021 | Victoria, BC | Island | 47 | 300 | 19 | |
Island Kwigwis | 2021 | Victoria, BC | Island | 47 | 300 | 19 | |
Island K’ulut’a | 2021 | Victoria, BC | Island | 47 | 300 | 23 | |
Island Nagalis | 2021 | Victoria, BC | Island | 47 | 300 | 23 | |
Kahloke | 1973 | Victoria, BC | K | 30 | 200 | 22 |
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Klitsa | 1972 | Victoria, BC | K | 22 | 150 | 12 |
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Kuper | 1985 | Victoria, BC | K | 32 | 269 | 20 |
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Kwuna | 1975 | Victoria, BC | K | 26 | 150 | 26 |
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Malaspina Sky | 2008 | Victoria, BC | I | 125 | 465 | 7 |
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Mayne Queen | 1965 | Victoria, BC | Powell River | 70 | 400 | Refit relief |
|
Northern Adventure | 2004 | Victoria, BC | None | 101 | 640 | 11 (peak)
10/11 (relief) |
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Northern Expedition | 2009 | Victoria, BC | None | 130 | 638 | 10 (peak)
10/11 (off-peak) |
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Northern Sea Wolf | 2000 | Victoria, BC | None | 35 | 150 | 28 |
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Quadra Queen II | 1969 | Victoria, BC | T | 30 | 150 | Spare/relief |
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Queen of Alberni | 1976 | Victoria, BC | C | 290 | 1193 | 30 |
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Queen of Capilano | 1991 | Victoria, BC | I | 100 | 457 | 8 |
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Queen of Coquitlam | 1976 | Victoria, BC | C | 360 | 1488 | 3 (peak)
2, Spare/relief (off-peak) |
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Queen of Cowichan | 1976 | Victoria, BC | C | 360 | 1488 | 2 (peak)
2, 3 (off-peak) |
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Queen of Cumberland | 1992 | Victoria, BC | I | 127 | 456 | 5
4 (relief) |
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Queen of New Westminster | 1964 | Victoria, BC | None | 270 | 1325 | 1 (peak)
30 (relief) |
|
Queen of Oak Bay | 1981 | Victoria, BC | C | 360 | 1488 | 2 | |
Queen of Surrey | 1981 | Victoria, BC | C | 360 | 1488 | 3 (peak)
2, 3 (off-peak) |
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Quinitsa | 1977 | Victoria, BC | None | 50 | 300 | Spare/relief |
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Quinsam | 1982 | Victoria, BC | None | 70 | 400 | 6 |
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Skeena Queen | 1997 | Victoria, BC | Century | 100 | 450 | 4 | |
Salish Eagle | 2016 | Victoria, BC | Salish | 138 | 600 | 9 | |
Salish Orca | 2016 | Victoria, BC | Salish | 138 | 600 | 17 | |
Salish Raven | 2016 | Victoria, BC | Salish | 138 | 600 | 9A (peak)
5, 17 (relief) |
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Salish Heron | 2021 | Victoria, BC | Salish | 138 | 600 | 5, 9, 17 | |
Spirit of British Columbia | 1993 | Victoria, BC | Spirit | 410 | 2100 | 1 | |
Spirit of Vancouver Island | 1994 | Victoria, BC | Spirit | 410 | 2100 | 1 | |
Tachek | 1969 | Victoria, BC | T | 30 | 150 | 24 |
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