BC Ferries says wider ‘challenges’ at play amid Easter weekend cancellations

A vessel was pulled from service on Easter Sunday, leading to cancellations and frustration on the Horseshoe Bay-Langdale route.

Would-be travellers between Metro Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast faced a frustrating Easter Sunday, as six sailings were cancelled due to a mechanical issue with a vessel.

The Queen of Surrey returned to service after a refit in the morning but experienced an issue with its steering system ahead of the 7:30 a.m. sailing out of Horseshoe Bay.

“Our engineering teams are working to address the issue as quickly as possible. Safety is always our top priority, and the vessel will not return to service until we are confident it is safe to do so,” a BC Ferries spokesperson said in a statement.

The Queen of Coquitlam was brought in in time for the 2:25 p.m. departure out of Horseshoe Bay—but the company warned only those with reservations should expect to travel Sunday.

“Customers should be advised that there will be no further standby space available on this route,” the statement from the spokesperson continued.

Those hoping to sail on any of BC Ferries major routes were advised against trying to get vehicle space on stand-by, and urged to make alternate plans or walk on where possible.

“We recognize the significant impact these cancellations are having on customers during the Easter long weekend,” the statement from BC Ferries said.

“This latest issue continues to underscore the challenges of operating an aging fleet under sustained and growing demand that exceeds what the system was originally designed to accommodate.”