Quadra Island Community Page

Tree work is scheduled on Pidcock Road adjacent to the Quathiaski Cove terminal on August 8 starting at 8:00 am. The work will lay down problematic trees and branches on the bank and is expected to take 8-10 hours. Traffic marshals are onsite and there may be some limited road access during this time. You may wish to take an alternative route around Pidcock Road to avoid potential delays.

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. This will mean full berth closures and alternate service for the route from January to mid-March, 2026. With work planned to begin in the fall of 2025, engagements with the community have begun early to help shape plans for the alternate service that will be required during the berth closure.

An in-person Open House was held on Cortes Island on April 27, 2024, alongside a three-week online engagement opportunity. Members of the public were invited to attend and provide their input on alternate service plans and ideas to help mitigate impacts on ferry users. The 'what we heard' report from this early engagement period is now available. Click here to read the report.

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

We've gathered a list of what we’ve heard as priorities from your Ferry Advisory Committee and community over the past two years. Now we need your help to:

• Review the list of feedback we’ve received from your community
• Prioritize the feedback we can action

Your feedback will be used by the Community Prioritization Panel (CPP) - a panel comprised of Ferry Advisory Committee Chairs from across the coast - to create a prioritized list of recommendations for the whole BC Ferries system.

The survey will be open until Monday, July 29, 2024.

Check back on this page for updates on the process and what we heard from your community.

On Saturday, July 13th, we hosted the Campbell River-Quadra-Cortes community workshop to gather feedback on the priorities for our ferry services. Participants included members from the Ferry Advisory Committee and the broader community. The discussion was lively and informative, and several key priorities were highlighted as areas of focus.

The highest-ranking priorities of the workshop were:

Vehicle Loading for Cortes Residents

Participants emphasized the need for a tagging or numbering system to identify vehicles travelling to Cortes. Additionally, a request to reintroduce a dedicated lane for Cortes travelers to streamline the loading process was made.

Line-up Management at Heriot Bay and Quathiaski Cove

Safety was the main theme, with participants stressing the importance of getting cars off the road and making sufficient parking available to improve safety and traffic flow.

Washrooms at Campbell River Terminal

The current washroom facilities present accessibility challenges, particularly for seniors and people with disabilities. One participant noted, "My dad can't use the outhouse with his walker."

Vehicle Staging at Campbell River Terminal During Cancellations

Participants highlighted safety concerns when cars are backed up onto the highway during cancellations. This priority was deemed important to address the potential hazards.

Schedule Adjustments

Another high-ranking priority was the return of the 8:30 p.m. sailing from Campbell River. Although the current summer schedule partially addresses this priority, participants expressed a desire to maintain it and introduce earlier sailings. This would benefit hospital workers with shifts ending at 7 p.m. and youth involved in sports and school activities, allowing them to arrive home at a more reasonable hour.

Thank you!

We would like to thank everyone who came out to our in person workshop, and the members of the Ferry Advisory Committee who joined us. If you were not able to make it, there is still an opportunity to provide your feedback through the online engagement open now until Monday, July 29, 2024.