North & Central Coast Community Page

Beginning this spring, new marine structures and upgrades to the Shearwater Terminal will be underway, restoring regular service for Denny Islanders and those travelling on the route.

The planning process

In the fall of 2022, the Shearwater barge underwent a detailed inspection to assess the condition and life span. In these assessments of the infrastructure, the immediate need to replace elements of the marine structure to maintain the safe operation were identified, and as such the berth was closed. Since this time, tug and barge service has been providing service on the route.

Over the last 18-months, our teams have been working with Heiltsuk Nation and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, considering all options for the berth rebuild with a focus on the technically challenging marine landscape. In July 2023 the approvals for the project were obtained, and design work and tendering began. Contracts were awarded early 2024.

Throughout this planning, we have been working closely with Heiltsuk Nation to conclude the current project work, and look to the future on how we can continue to work together.

Work begins this spring

Work is planned to begin the spring of 2024 and is expected to take approximately six months. It will include installation of new berth structures including new supports for the ramp (abutment), new ramp and concrete pontoon structures. In addition, upgrades will be made to the existing floating lead. The design of the new ramp will result in the return of regular operations for the Northern Sea Wolf with a new single lane ramp and an increased load limit of 63,500 kg.

As an essential public service, it is our job to keep people moving safely and reliably. While the decision to close the berth in the fall of 2022 was not taken lightly, we understand the impact this has had on the community, and those travelling on the route. We sincerely appreciate the resiliency of Denny Island residents and customers travelling on the route, and we are looking forward to providing full service back to the community.

How to stay updated

We will continue to do all we can to make sure clear and consistent communication is delivered for the remainder of this project. 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 'Follow Project' on the right hand side of this page.

For customers travelling from Moresby Island (Alliford Bay) and transferring at Graham Island (Skidegate) to travel to Prince Rupert on Dec 5, 19, Jan 2, 16 and 30.

Vehicles and passengers arriving on the 7:00 am sailing from Alliford Bay and transferring to the 8:30 am sailing to Prince Rupert will be permitted to board, even though they arrive 30 minutes past the regular 90-minute cutoff time.

Schedules can found on bcferries.com here

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

Ocean Falls, Mcloughlin Bay, Bella Coola, Shearwater, Port Hardy
September 14 – 17, 2023

Due to a scheduling conflict, BC Ferries has revised the schedules between Ocean Falls, Mcloughlin Bay (Bella Bella), Bella Coola, Shearwater, and Port Hardy for customers travelling between September 14 and 17, 2023.

The Northern Sea Wolf will sail directly between Ocean Falls and Port Hardy on September 14 and September 17 on the following schedules:

To accommodate customers travelling between Bella Coola and Bella Bella on the affected dates, a water taxi will operate in place of the Northern Sea Wolf and operate on the following schedule:

To avoid berth congestion at Port Hardy terminal on September 15, the Northern Sea Wolf will be departing 2 hours later than previously scheduled. The Northern Expedition schedule to Prince Rupert remains unaffected.

Revised Schedule between Port Hardy and Bella Coola:

Our Customer Service Centre will contact the two affected customers with reservations between Bella Coola and Bella Bella on September 14 and 17 to discuss alternate travel options.

BC Ferries thanks its customers for their cooperation and apologizes for any inconvenience these revised schedules may cause.

For more information or traffic updates, please follow @BCFerries on Twitter, or visit bcferries.com.

Klemtu is a tiny community on a remote island more than 800 km northwest of Vancouver and, for years, its roughly 400 residents could count on two things to be as regular as the rain that falls there: the weekly arrival, by ferry, of an empty refrigerated trailer, later to be returned full of locally farmed fish for processing; and the somewhat less regular arrival of a truck stocked with fresh food and groceries.

While the former supported an important source of employment and income for members of the Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation, the timing and frequency of the latter meant residents had limited access to fresh produce for most of each month.

That changed last year thanks to a unique partnership between the Kitasoo Xai’xais, BC Ferries, the transport company Aquatrans Distributors Inc. and Mowi Canada West, with which Kitasoo Seafoods works to produce salmon products... (Read more)

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.

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

Details on the proposed service changes for your community can be found in the Performance Term 6 submission on page 123/124

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 behaviour 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.