Heriot Bay - Whaletown Terminal Upgrades

The berths at Whaletown and Heriot Bay are being replaced. Help us shape alternative service plans by attending in-person, or taking part online.

Join us in-person on Saturday, April 27 on Cortes Island for an opportunity to learn more about our initial plans for alternate service. You will be able to walk around the room to learn about each leg of your journey, and speak with our teams who will be on hand to listen to your feedback and answer questions.

Participate online Visit our discussion forums between April 19 – May 6 by clicking here.

What's Happening at Whaletown and Heriot Bay?

We are excited to be moving closer to welcoming an Island Class Vessel in 2027 and providing increased capacity for Cortes Islanders and those travelling the route.

In preparation for introducing the larger vessel to the route and to replace aging infrastructure, berth replacements are required for Whaletown and Heriot Bay. Work is planned to begin the fall of 2025 and is expected to be completed spring 2026, with full berth closures and alternate service for the route planned from January to mid-March, 2026.

At Heriot Bay, the work is expected to include:

• New two-lane trestle and ramp with customer waiting shelter and separated foot passenger walkway
• New marine structures for vessel berthing and mooring

At Whaletown, the work is expected to include:

• New two-lane ramp with separated foot passenger walkway
• New marine structures for vessel berthing and mooring

We are in the early stages of planning for alternate service and want to hear from the community to help us shape our plans.

We understand the vital role we play in providing an essential service to those that live and travel to Cortes Island, and are committed to keeping the community informed. As we progress we will be providing project updates on this page.

To stay up to date, you can subscribe to receive proactive updates via email by clicking 'Subscribe' on the right hand side of this page.

We look forward to hearing from you, and working together as we look ahead at exciting improvements coming for the community.

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensure the safe operation of our terminal facilities, BC Ferries will be carrying out necessary marine geotechnical investigations at the Heriot Bay and Whaletown ferry terminals on the following dates:

• Heriot Bay terminal - November 7, 2023
• Whaletown terminal – November 9, 2023

This work is part of the planning phase for the Heriot Bay and Whaletown berth replacement projects, planned to begin in the fall of 2025.

To mitigate traffic disruptions for our customers, work will take place around the ferry schedule, and we do not anticipate any impact to ferry service. Work will include general construction activities and major noise disruptions are not expected from this work. All efforts will be made to minimize construction sound levels for our neighbours.

Due to the nature of the work, in the case of poor weather, dates for the geotechnical investigations may change. We will update the community if a change in date is required.

We would like to thank our neighbours for their patience and understanding as we complete this necessary work.

For more information or traffic updates, follow our @BCFerries X Account or visit bcferries.com.

The marine infrastructure at Heriot Bay and Whaletown terminals are nearing the end of their service lives and require replacement. As populations on both islands grow, we are committed to the safety and accessibility of the islands for residents and visitors alike.

In alignment with Performance Term 6, and what we've heard from the community, terminal upgrades are designed to address capacity limits faced on Route 24 (Heriot Bay - Whaletown). The terminal upgrades will address concerns by replacing marine terminal infrastructure to accommodate the new, higher capacity Island class vessels, as well as reducing roadway congestion and creating safer, easier access to the terminals for vehicles and walk-on passengers. The current berths do not fit the Island Class vessels.

More information on the terminal upgrade will be provided on this page. To stay informed, please subscribe by clicking the "subscribe" button on the right-hand side of the page.