Snug Cove Terminal Project

Snug Cove (Bowen Island)
Friday, April 12 – Sunday, April 14, 2024

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensure the safe operation of our terminal facilities, we will be carrying out maintenance activities on the berth. These items are to finalize the life extension work at the Snug Cove terminal affecting the final roundtrip sailings between Friday, April 12 and Sunday, April 14, 2024.

The following sailings will be cancelled and replaced with a water taxi and shuttle bus service on Bowen Island:

Cancelled Sailings on April 12, 13, and 14
10:00 pm sailing departing Horseshoe Bay (Vancouver)
10:30 pm sailing departing Snug Cove (Bowen Island)

On Saturday, April 13, BC Ferries will be providing a supplemental round trip sailing to accommodate customers wanting to travel with their vehicles between Vancouver and Bowen Island:

Added Sailing on Saturday, April 13
7:25 pm sailing departing Snug Cove (Bowen Island)
8:00 pm sailing departing Horseshoe Bay (Vancouver)

Weight Restriction
Due to the nature of the repairs, vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 5,500 kg or greater cannot be accommodated on this route on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14.

Customers wishing to travel at alternate sailing times can find this route’s schedules here.

We will update the Service Notice if there are any changes to this scheduled work.

For the most up-to-date sailing and departure information, customers can follow our @BCFerries X Account or visit bcferries.com.

*Updated March 26 with changes to the schedule on April 7*

Over the last two months, teams have successfully completed a number of key elements of the Snug Cove terminal project including strengthening structural elements, creating safer walkways, and restoring damaged concrete, among other enhancements. While much of the work has been smooth and on target, the slower start due to snowfall early in the year has resulted in a necessary extension of the project until April 7.

Sailing schedules will continue to be amended Tuesday - Sunday, with no change to Monday's schedule up to and including, March 27. All current supports for travellers, including complimentary water taxi and shuttle service, will remain in place for this time period.

Full service on current modified schedule will resume on March 28 to April 4 to support Easter travel, with additional schedule modifications April 5 and 7, and one last berth closure on April 6. Dates and details are as follows:

Full service to support holiday weekend travel: March 28 – April 4, 2024

• Full service will resume between March 28 – April 4, 2024
• Regular vessel (Queen of Capilano) will provide service as per the online schedule
• No water taxi or shuttle service available over these dates

Modified schedule (April 5 & 7) and full-day berth closure (April 6)

• April 5: 10:30 pm from HSB and 11:00 pm from Snug Cove sailings cancelled – Water Taxi service available for cancelled sailings
• April 6: Full day berth closure – Water Taxi foot passenger service only
• April 7: Morning sailing cancellations listed below – Water Taxi service available for cancelled sailings

Return to regular schedule and service: April 8, 2024

• April 8, 2024 – Full regular schedule and service reinstated. Construction complete.

Schedules can be found at www.bcferries.com/routes-fares/schedules/seasonal/HSB-BOW, on the BC Ferries App and on the printable schedule on the right-hand side of the page. Please plan ahead for your travel during this time.

To read more about water taxi, shuttle service or parking options, visit the FAQ on the right-hand side of the page.

Full-Day Berth Closure March 9, 2024

Bowen Island travellers can expect water taxi-only service on Saturday, March 9, 2024 to allow for required work at the Snug Cove terminal (Bowen Island). This work is part of the Snug Cove Marine Structures project taking place now until early April.

We have carefully chosen days for this work based on consultation with the community and historical data indicating reduced traffic volumes. Our goal is to mitigate the impact on those who rely on ferry service for access to work, school, and medical appointments.

As service will not be available for vehicles, complimentary water taxi-only service will be provided, along with complimentary shuttle service on Bowen Island between the terminal, the Royal Canadian Legion (1265 Scarborough Road) and the Transit Park & Ride location (1421 Adams Road).

Water taxis will run at scheduled sailing times, and will provide service as needed to help ensure you get to your destination. For more details on alternate service, shuttle schedules and parking, please visit the project page at: bcferriesprojects.ca/snug-cove-tp

If you choose to leave your vehicle in Horseshoe Bay overnight, complimentary parking will be available during the full-day berth closure. Details for reimbursement can be found in the FAQ on the right-hand side of this page.

If you live near the terminals, there’s a chance of increased noise levels. Our construction contractors will do everything possible to mitigate noise impacts for our neighbours.

Despite our best efforts, we recognize some customers will be impacted when travelling on this route, and we thank the community in advance for your patience as we complete this crucial work.

For up-to-date sailing and departure information, visit bcferries.com or follow @BCFerries on X.

It has been a productive month and we wanted to start by sharing our appreciation of your ongoing patience and understanding while we complete this necessary work.

Initially slowed by the cold and wet weather, the crew has been making steady progress replacing floor beams. You can see the results in the new traffic surface and the freshly painted beams showing through. Once those are complete, next on the list is to install the new pedestrian walkway in its original location.

The two full-berth closures have proven especially valuable. Most recently, our maintenance crews replaced numerous critical items responsible for lifting and lowering the ramp. The work was done to exacting standards, and always with an eye on the clock. We are proud of our crews for their dedication and timely completion.

While much of the work has been smooth and on target, the slower start to our project due to the weather is resulting in an expected extension of the project into early April. Rest assured, we will continue to do our best to minimize any impacts you'll experience and we are working diligently with our contractor to make up for the lost time.

Although the project is expected to continue on for the first weeks of April with the modified schedule, your long weekends will remain untouched. We'll continue to provide transparent and timely updates to ensure you are well-informed and can plan your travel accurately.

Stay tuned to this page for the latest information.

Jan 8, 2024 - end of March 2024

The marine structures life extension project at Snug Cove terminal will begin on January 8 and carry on until the end of March 2024. This essential work is required as part of our commitment to ensure safe and reliable operations. All information on alternative services and modified schedules can be found here, or read on to find a more condensed version of key information:

Project overview

• Work will occur from January 8 to the end of March 2024
• No work will be completed over long weekends
• Most work will occur overnight to limit service disruptions
• A modified schedule and four full-day berth closures will be required during the project

Sailing schedules

As part of the Snug Cove terminal project work, daily service between Horseshoe Bay and Bowen Island will be modified, including no vehicle service on three select weekends. The modified schedule can be found here: Modified Schedule beginning January 8 and on the BC Ferries App. A printable version with water taxi and shuttle bus schedule can be found here: Printable Route 8 Schedule - January 8 - March 27, 2024

Water taxi information:

Complimentary water taxi service will be provided for all daily cancellations and full-day berth closures. The water taxi sailings will run in place of cancelled sailings and are noted on the printable schedule, or can be viewed in the FAQs, found on the right-hand side.

Two water taxis will be in operation during all construction-related sailing cancellations

• The primary vessel can carry 40 passengers and the secondary can carry 12 passengers
• Wheelchairs and bicycles can be transported onboard the primary (40-passenger) water taxi
• All water taxi sailings are complimentary
• Tickets are not required for water taxis
• Horseshoe Bay terminal staff are available to direct passengers and answer questions

Berth Closures

Berth closures will occur over three weekends across the project timeline. As service will not be available for vehicles, complimentary water taxi-only service will be provided, along with complimentary shuttle bus service on Bowen Island between the terminal and the Transit Park & ride location (1421 Adams Road) on the following dates:

• Saturday, January 20
• Saturday, February 3 and Sunday, February 4
• Saturday, March 9

Complimentary transportation during cancellations

• Complimentary shuttle service is available on Bowen Island during all evening cancellations
• The shuttle bus is available in both directions from Snug Cove (Library) water taxi to the Transit Park & Ride at 1421 Adams Road.
• The shuttle will make an additional stop at the Royal Canadian Legion (1265 Scarborough Rd)
• The shuttle bus service schedule can be found on the printable schedule page here.

Parking

Throughout the terminal construction project, a discounted daily parking rate is available at the surface parking lot and the parkade at Horseshoe Bay. Complimentary parking will be offered during full-day berth closures when vehicle sailings are unavailable.

Discounted parking: Available throughout the project. To receive the discounted parking rate, please visit the ticket meter and scroll through the screen to find the Bowen Island section. Please note, the discounted rate is not available on the website or mobile app.

Complimentary parking: Complimentary parking will be available during full-day berth closures. Customers are to purchase their parking ticket at the meter in the surface lot or parkade and provide proof of receipt to a Customer Service Agent at the terminal for reimbursement. For additional details, please see the FAQ on the right-hand side of the projects page. Please note that complimentary parking is not available on the website or mobile app.

Staying informed:

Service notices, social media ads, posters and media advisories will be available throughout the project to inform and remind those travelling of upcoming schedule changes.

For updates

• Subscribe to the project page on the right-hand side of this page
• Subscribe to Service Notices for updates here

For general information

• Check our FAQs on the right-hand side of the page
• Contact our Customer Care team (1-888-223-3779)

As part of our commitment to ensure the safe and reliable operation of our terminal facilities, BC Ferries will be completing a marine life extension project at Snug Cove to maintain safe and reliable operations on this critical route. This work will occur from January 8 to end of March 2024. No work will be completed over long weekends.

We are making every effort to minimize disruption of service through this time, with most of the work planned to occur overnight. However, a modified schedule and three berth closures will be required over the course of the project to enable construction work to be completed.

Sailing schedules

Sailing schedules will be amended Tuesday - Sunday, with no cancellations to Monday’s schedule. The modified schedules can be found here: Modified Schedule beginning January 8 and on the BC Ferries App.

To view a printable version visit our Project Information on the right-hand side or by clicking the link below.

Printable Route 8 Schedule - January 8 - March 27, 2024*

*Please note, this schedule is current as of the date noted.

How the modified schedule was built

During our engagements with the community, both in person and online, we asked which sailings the community would prefer to be cancelled (the first and last, or the last two) and feedback indicated an almost 50% split in preference.

Regarding sailings, we heard that:

• Cancelling the first sailing would impact people’s ability to get to work and could create congestion throughout the morning
• Evening sailings require a later sailing to allow travellers to get home from shift work or activities
• Mondays are important travel days and should remain untouched if possible

To accommodate these concerns and traffic patterns, our teams created a modified schedule that includes:

• A regular Monday schedule
• Tuesday-Friday and Sunday with evening cancellations only
• Saturdays with first and last sailing cancellations
• Evening sailings pushed back by 20-30 mins to provide later option for commuters prior to cancelled sailings

Berth Closures

Berth closures will occur over three weekends across the project timeline. As service will not be available for vehicles, complimentary water taxi-only service will be provided, along with complimentary shuttle bus service on Bowen Island between the terminal and the Transit Park & ride location (1421 Adams Road) on the following dates:

• Saturday, January 20
• Saturday, February 3 and Sunday, February 4
• Saturday, March 9

Alternate service and mitigations

During sailing cancellations and closures, mitigation measures and alternate service have been arranged. These include:

Water Taxi:

• Complimentary water taxi service will be provided for all daily cancellations and full berth closures. The water taxi sailings will run as scheduled, with discretionary sailings as required.
• This includes a 40-passenger (primary) and 12-passenger (secondary) water taxi.
• The primary water taxi is wheelchair accessible and can also accommodate bicycles on board.
• Tickets will not be required, and passengers do not need to check in at the terminal ahead of the water taxis
• Staff will be available at the terminal to help direct passengers and answer questions

Transportation and Parking:

• Complimentary shuttle service from Snug Cove water taxi to transit park & ride location (1421 Adams Road) to coincide with water taxi sailings as noted on the printable schedule.
• Discounted daily parking: Discounted daily parking at the BC Ferries parking lots in Horseshoe Bay will be available ($10 per 24 hrs throughout the project). To receive the discounted parking rate, please visit the ticket meter and scroll through the screen to find the Bowen Island section. Please note, the discounted rate is not available on the website or mobile app.
• Complimentary parking: Complimentary parking will be available during full-day berth closures. Customers are to purchase their parking ticket after parking their vehicle in the surface lot or parkade and provide proof of receipt to a Terminal Customer Service Agent at the terminal for reimbursement.

Staying informed and up to date:

In the coming weeks, you will see service notices, social media ads, posters and media advisories informing those travelling on the route of upcoming schedule changes. We will also be providing updates and reminders throughout the project to ensure the community is kept informed. To receive these updates, subscribe to the project page by clicking the link on the right-hand side of the page.

To learn more, check out our FAQs on the right-hand side of the page.

For general customer questions please reach out to our Customer Care team (1-888-223-3779)

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to provide feedback and to our neighbours and passengers, for their patience as we complete this necessary work.

In September 2023, we advised the community of the next steps in the Snug Cove Marine Life Extension project, that was expected to begin October 2023.

After listening to the communities feedback at both the in person workshop (September 8, 2023) and the online engagement (September 19 - October 10), we understand and acknowledge that providing the community more time to to plan for any disruptions to service and avoiding any disruption over the holidays is preferred.

As a result of this feedback, we have made the decision to postpone the Snug Cove Life Extension project to January 2024.

We will continue to update the community on next steps for this project and please continue to visit here for further updates.

We Need Your Input

We’re upgrading the berth and marine structures at Snug Cove to keep ferries running safely and efficiently. Construction will require some sailing cancellations and berth closures and we’re asking for your help in planning for these service disruptions.

Project Overview

Work is slated to begin in November 2023 and continue until February 2024. Work will include steel reinforcement, replacement of mechanical items, and minor repair to the wingwalls and dolphins. In order to complete the work, sailing cancellations and berth closures will be necessary. We've held early meetings with key stakeholders, including Bowen Island Municipality to help us in planning to mitigate the impact of this work on the community. So far, this includes:

1. Work is planned during the off-peak travel period (November - February).
2. Work will be stopped over the holidays, to ensure holiday travel plans are not impacted.
3. Most work will happen overnight (9:00pm - 5:00am) to minimize service disruptions.
4. The regular schedule will be maintained one day each week.

You can view helpful data on available capacity on this route, by day and season here.

We need your help now to complete the planning process.

FEEDBACK: Planning of Service Disruptions

Most of the work will happen overnight, but more time is needed and sailing cancellations will be necessary six days a week. We are also planning for three full berth closures of 1-2 days each, over designated weekends. We want to know:

• Would the community prefer to cancel the first and last sailings of the day, or the last two sailings of the day?
• Which day of the week should we maintain the full schedule, with no cancellations?
• Which weekends would be best to plan these closures for?

To provide your feedback on these questions, please select the 'Quick Poll' tab at the top.

FEEDBACK: Planning to mitigate and communicate impacts

We are planning for water taxi service during cancellations and closures, free parking at Horseshoe Bay Terminal for Bowen Islanders, and additional traffic control and marshalling as required. We're also planning widespread communication through service notices, terminal signage, social media, this page and Bowen Island community page, and by working with stakeholders and partners to help spread the word, including Bowen Island Municipality.

• What other mitigation measures would you like us to consider?
• Who do we need to make sure we reach out to and how would you like to be informed about the project moving forward?

To provide your feedback on these questions, please select the 'Forum' tab at the top.

Engagement will be open until October 9 and we will be back to the community with plans by the end of October.

BC Ferries is preparing to life extend the marine structures at Snug Cove Terminal on Bowen Island.

In 2019 BC Ferries completed an initial engineering assessment with a second inspection completed in 2022. In these assessments of the infrastructure at the ferry terminal, the need to replace elements of the marine structure to maintain the safe operation were identified. The assessment report required repairs be completed over the next year.

Work is planned to begin the fall of 2023 and is expected to take approximately 3 months. It will include strengthening and replacing structural elements, updates to the mooring structures (called dolphins), and timer replacements.

To avoid disruption of service on the route, night work is being planned. We are mindful the construction work may generate additional noise that may impact nearby residents, and will ensure that residents are kept updated and that they are advised in advance of the work being done.

We are in the early stages of planning and have begun conversations with various stakeholders and rights groups, including Bowen Island Municipality, Bowen Island Municipal Transportation Advisory Committee and Bowen Island Ferry Advisory Committee. We plan to be out in the community later this summer with more information and further opportunities for community engagement.

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.