Brentwood Bay Community Page

This spring and summer we’re getting back out with our Ferry Advisory Committees and the communities we serve. With a focus on resetting conversations, we’ll be looking at what we’ve heard from FACs and communities over the past two years. We’ll work together to:

• Review the list of feedback we’ve received from each community
• Prioritize the feedback we can action
• Establish criteria that will help a new Community Prioritization Panel make recommendations about what’s most important across the ferry system

This work will result in a prioritized list of action items for each community. From there, a Community Prioritization Panel (CPP) will work to consolidate these items into a prioritized list for the whole BC Ferries system.

All FAC chairs have been invited to participate in the CPP and the panel will deliver a final public report by October 31, 2024. This report will help guide how BC Ferries reviews and makes decisions on changes needed to improve service and experience for customers, and also help inform long-term decisions that align with the ongoing Charting the Course vision process.

Timelines

• May: Virtual meetings with all Ferry Advisory Committees
• June/July: In-person community workshops

Dates and details for community workshops will be posted to this page shortly.

New Safety and Security Measures

In order to create a safe and respectful environment for all, BC Ferries has implemented changes based on recommendations made in its safety review, including:

• Establishing safety and security policies for public events that align with WorkSafe BC requirements.
• Rolling out a new mandatory respectful workplace policy and training across the company, including training in Prevention of Violence in the Workplace for all BC Ferries representatives who will take part in community events.
• Establishing plans and templates to support safety and security assessments in advance of FAC and community meetings.
• Establishing new processes for public events, including the request for participants to RSVP ahead of time, new sign-in requirements, and a new Code of Conduct that will apply to all public events. We’ll provide more information on what you can expect to see at events in an upcoming post to this page.
• Updating the Terms of Reference and Code of Conduct to ensure the correct foundations are in place to support a mutually respectful and productive relationship with FACs.

Stay Informed

We’ll be providing updates to this page in the coming weeks, click the ‘Stay Informed’ icon on the right hand side of the page to receive updates to your email inbox.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

The BC Ferries Community Relations Team

Now is the time to shape the vision of the coastal ferry service in BC.

Transportation, transit and ferry systems around the world are under pressure resulting from the pandemic, population growth, climate change, inflation and other factors. BC’s coastal ferry system is no exception, and BC Ferries is responding with actions to address current operational issues. We are also embarking on a long-term transformative journey to reshape our coastal ferry services in response to the evolving needs of the communities we serve.

We invite you to participate in Charting the Course, an initiative that aims to define what is needed to keep people, goods, and services in coastal communities connected and moving through to 2050 and beyond.

Hearing from you is an important part of this initiative to help us build a more sustainable and resilient ferry system. The first phase of engagement is open until November 28. Learn more and participate here: https://www.bcferriesprojects.ca/bc-ferries-charting-the-course

High vehicle and foot passenger travel is expected on August 26 & 27

Participants of the Cycle of Life Tour - which sees riders cycle 200 km through Saanich Peninsula, Cowichan Valley and Salt Spring Island - will be travelling on select routes on August 26 and 27.

Busy vehicle, bicycle and passenger travel volumes are expected on these routes as a result of this event during the sailings noted below.

Busy Sailings on August 26:

9:50 am departing Brentwood Bay to Mill Bay

11:00 am departing Brentwood Bay to Mill Bay

2:20 pm departing Crofton (Vancouver Island) - Vesuvius Bay (Salt Spring Island)

Busy Sailings on August 27:

11:10 am departing Fulford Harbour (Salt Spring Island) to Swartz Bay (Victoria)

12:50 pm departing Fulford Harbour (Salt Spring Island) to Swartz Bay (Victoria)

We recommend arriving at the terminal as early as possible and being prepared for possible sailing waits if you intend to travel during these times.

For the most up-to-date sailing and departure information, follow us on Twitter @BCFerries, or visit bcferries.com for further information.

Today marks National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day we celebrate and recognize the diverse cultures, traditions and immeasurable contributions of First Nations, Inuit, & Métis across Canada. Indigenous Peoples are the traditional stewards of the rivers, lakes, land & sea where we are privileged to live and work.

#NIPD2023 serves as an opportunity to learn and deepen our understanding of the Indigenous cultures throughout Canada.

• Learn more about Indigenous Peoples land, languages, history and culture: https://maps.fpcc.ca/
• The First Peoples’ map highlights BC's Indigenous language regions, artists & artworks, place names & landmarks: https://native-land.ca/
• Native Land is an app that allows users to map Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages: https://ow.ly/1pUt50OPX10
• Use the @BCGovNews map to find events happening in your community celebrating National Indigenous History Month: https://ow.ly/fif850OPX4l
• Learn more about the history, cultures, and experiences of Indigenous Peoples in Canada: https://ow.ly/mJ4250OPX91

Learn about National Indigenous People’s Day and how you can participate in celebrating their culture and heritage.

#BCFerries remains committed to fostering meaningful relationships with the Indigenous communities we serve. We recognize the importance of collaboration and partnership as we work toward a future of mutual respect, reconciliation and inclusivity.

On Sunday April 2, Sunday April 9, and Wednesday April 12 operational readiness drills and the renewal of onboard Life Saving Appliances are scheduled to take place on the MV Klitsa. These drills will result in the cancellation of the following round-trip sailing:

Cancelled Sailings - Sunday, April 2 and Sunday, April 9 2023

• Departing Brentwood Bay 8:40 am
• Departing Mill Bay 9:15 am

Service is expected to resume with the 9:50 am sailing from Brentwood Bay, on each of these two Sundays.

Cancelled Sailings - Wednesday, April 12, 2023

• Departing Brentwood Bay 11:00 am
• Departing Mill Bay 11:35 am

The vessel will resume service on April 12 with the regularly scheduled 1:15pm sailing from Brentwood Bay. Due to the nature of the services there may be delays to the afternoon sailings.

BC Ferries thanks their customers for their patience and understanding as we complete this regulatory maintenance.

Our goal is to inform our customers, as early as possible, of any changes to our scheduled sailings. We recommend that for the most up-to-date information, our customers also follow @BCFerries on Twitter, check our website at www.bcferries.com or download the new mobile app and sign up for notifications.

The new BC Ferries app is now available for download to your mobile device in the App Store and Google Play Store. Designed with convenience and personalization in mind, the app makes it easier than ever to check schedules and current conditions, book sailings and manage your trips.

New features and enhancements include:

• Travel Preferences: Allows customers to save travel details for quick access to schedules and current conditions and make faster bookings on frequently travelled routes.
• Current Conditions: Route sailing status and estimated deck space will be easier to view with the updated app layout.
• Making and Managing Bookings: New designs and personalized travel preferences will enable easier bookings. Customers can quickly jump to the next available sailing with the new Express book feature, and manage existing bookings on-the-go.
• Schedules: Enhanced features on daily and seasonal schedules and the introduction of travel preferences will make it easier to trip plan.
• Alerts: Gives customers the option to receive timely push- notifications for service notices and upcoming sailing reminders on their device.
• Seamless check-in: Customers can find their upcoming trips on their app dashboard to access the booking barcode for seamless check-in at the terminal.

This is BC Ferries first release and the company already has plans for new features and functionality. The app will also continue to evolve based on feedback from customers and evolving digital trends.

More information about the mobile app, including how to and helpful tips, is available online at https://www.bcferries.com/app

Since filing in September 2022, an elevated risk of recession, coupled with higher inflation and cost pressures across BC Ferries operations, has forced a recalculation of estimates and plans contained in the company’s Performance Term Six Submission to the independent BC Ferries Commissioner.

Revisions to the plan are in three key areas:

• Traffic Outlook – BC Ferries’ traffic outlook has been updated to reflect the growing certainty of a mild recession occurring during Fiscal 2024;
• Capital Program and Maintenance – continued inflation and higher maintenance costs associated with maintaining an ageing fleet have been factored into an updated schedule and 12-year capital plan.
• Labour and Talent Development – a more comprehensive view of actions necessary to secure required crew levels in response to the growing gap of both exempt and bargaining unit wages relative to the marketplace.

The revised plan also acknowledges the recent commitment of $500 million in new funding from the Province to support the lowering of fare increases for people who rely upon the coastal ferry service. While funding terms are not finalized, the Commissioner will determine the impact on BCF’s revised four-year plan, and will make a final determination on the Performance Term Six price caps by September 30, 2023. The plan is now posted on the Commissioner’s website bcferrycommission.ca for public feedback.

Click here to view the full media release.

What is a Performance Term?

A performance term is a review of BC Ferries services and fees by the BC Ferries Commissioner. Performance Term reviews happen every four years, and the current term (Performance Term 5) will end on March 31, 2024.

BC Ferries has just submitted its proposal for Performance Term 6. This submission sets out our proposed service plans, including capacity increases, replacing aging vessels and infrastructure, and addressing service challenges over the next four years (April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2028). The submission also outlines our financial information and what we believe will be required in order to provide the proposed service changes. This information assists the Commissioner in setting a price cap, the maximum allowable increase to fares for the next performance term.

You’re invited to provide input on the Performance Term

Community members are encouraged to provide their thoughts and feedback on our Performance Term 6 submission while it is under review by the Commissioner, in particular the service plan proposals. You can do that now by reading the submission and providing your feedback at: bcferrycommission.ca

What’s in Performance Term 6 (April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2028)

Modernization and replacement of vessels, terminals and IT systems are the centrepiece of BC Ferries’ Performance Term 6 submission, including:

• Long Term Traffic Demand Outlook (fiscal years 2023 through 2034)

• Capacity Review and Service Enhancement Strategies

• Workforce planning strategies

• Emission reduction strategies

• Strategies for evolving with travel behavior changes

• Strategies for improving efficiency

• Capital plans (2023 – 2034)

Next Steps

The BC Ferry Commissioner will announce a preliminary price cap on March 31, 2023 and will finalize it on September 30, 2023. Once the review process is complete, BC Ferries will proceed with more detailed design and planning for the actions contained in the approved proposal. We will engage with the communities we serve on putting these plans into action. Stay tuned to this page for more information.