Starting tomorrow (June 15th), ferry-goers can hop aboard and travel on routes that cross health regions without having to prove their trip is essential.
According to BC Ferries, this is in accordance with the end of B.C.’s travel restrictions Order – which expires at 11:59 pm today.
This means Vancouver Islanders can once again head to the Mainland for recreational purposes, and vice-versa.
Customers won’t have to travel for essential reasons only on a handful of routes, including: Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay, Tsawwassen – Duke Point, Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands, Horseshoe Bay – Departure Bay, Comox – Powell River, and Port Hardy – Prince Rupert.
BC Ferries President and CEO Mark Collins is thrilled to welcome everyone back on board, and says the end of travel restrictions marks a key milestone in tackling COVID-19.
“Our teams are ready to welcome back recreational travellers on all of our routes,” Collins adds. “We will be adding sailings back into the schedule as we get into the summer season to ensure we have the capacity to meet the anticipated demand.”
RELATED: BC Ferries website crashes as province moves to Step 2 of Restart Plan
To align with the Provincial Health Officer’s guidance and Step 2 of the provincial Restart Plan, BC Ferries says it’s relaxing its mandatory mask policy for outdoor spaces at terminals. Effective tomorrow, wearing a face-covering when outside a ferry terminal is optional.
However, because BC Ferries’ vessels are federally regulated, Transport Canada’s current regulations mandate face coverings and physical distancing requirements on board. With this in mind, masks must still be worn on BC Ferries’ ships – both indoors and outdoors – when passengers are not in their vehicles.
