BC Ferries has come under fire following a series of cancellations on major routes during the holidays.
The transportation provider blamed bad weather and "mechanical difficulty" for the missed sailings.
On Christmas Day, numerous departures from Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay were cancelled, along with all sailings between Tsawwassen and Duke Point. Also impacted were those from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay and back.
In a statement, BC Ferries said the decision was made following Environment Canada's "severe weather forecast."
"It's disappointing to see BC Ferries canceling Christmas Day sailings with more disruptions possible," Conservative Langley-Abbotsford MLA and Transportation Critic Harman Bhangu wrote in a post on X at the time. "Ferries are an essential extension of our highways, especially during the holidays when families rely on them to connect."
He made it clear that "severe weather highlights the urgent need for storm-resilient infrastructure to ensure reliable transportation for British Columbians."
The cancellations continued on New Year's Day, with six sailings between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale nixed due to an issue on the vessel. In that case, a water taxi was eventually brought in to transport foot passengers between the two destinations on "shuttle mode," which means instead of leaving at scheduled times, they depart when full.
"Once again, BC Ferries fails to deliver for British Columbians due to mismanagement under the BCNDP's watch," Bhangu lamented in another post on X. "Cancelling six New Year's Day sailings due to 'mechanical difficulties' is not just inconvenient — it's a glaring example of a broken system."
His sentiments were shared by others, with one user pointing out that "they only seem to have weather and mechanical issues on holidays and long weekends."
