A group of orcas showed they weren’t shy while swimming near Vancouver on Tuesday afternoon. In a shared with CTV News by Raquel Gallego, a trio of whales is seen swimming in the Burrard Inlet, just under the Lions Gate Bridge. Footage shows the whales swimming and splashing alongside a boat while onlookers cheer. Gallego said there were six whales in total. Whale sightings have been increasingly common in the waters around Metro Vancouver in 2026. According to a study from the University of British Columbia, more whales really are visiting local waters after years of conservation efforts. Researchers say that transient killer whales are now seen in the Salish Sea about 250 days out of the year. The whales typically return to B.C. waters after fasting in their winter breeding grounds, but the recovery of seal and sea lion populations has created what researchers are calling a “year-round buffet.” Transport Canada issued an interim order on June 1 declaring that all vessels must stay at least 1,000 metres away from southern resident killer whales in southern B.C. coastal waters, including the Strait of Georgia, the Juan de Fuca Strait and waters off Vancouver Island. This is up from the previous 400-metre approach distance. With files from Sarah Marsh and Megan Yamoah
