Tag Archives: Whaletown Terminal

Planned price increases; dismantling FAC’s – Changes Coming To BC Ferries 

As some of you may have already heard, BC Ferries is going through changes. They range from a total revamp of the way they have been engaging with the public, to  expenses that probably won’t effect fares until 2028.

Let’s start with finances. BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez recently informed the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce the cost to build ferries has risen 40% since 2020. Speaking as a customer, my immediate thought was this sounds like there is a fare hike coming. 

Jeff Groot, BC Ferries Executive Director in charge of communications, responded “I think that’s a fair reaction. There’s a couple of things that we’re experiencing right now.”  

Continue reading Planned price increases; dismantling FAC’s – Changes Coming To BC Ferries 

Terminal Upgrade Plan: BC Ferries Consults Cortes Residents

Originally published April 28, 2024

BC Ferries intends to upgrade their Heriot Bay and Whaletown terminals to accommodate new, higher-capacity “Island Class” ferries with the potential for all-electric operation. The construction project, scheduled for 2026, will necessitate closure of these docks and ramps — a serious logistical problem for BCF and for island residents.

On April 27th, 2024, BC Ferries hosted a two-hour open house at Mansons Hall from 12:30 to 2:30 pm, asking for community feedback and suggestions on their early draft plan for this disruptive project. The event was attended by more than 50 Cortes residents over the two-hour period; for those who were unable to attend, the online comment period remains open until May 6th.

Continue reading Terminal Upgrade Plan: BC Ferries Consults Cortes Residents

MLA Michele Babchuk visits Cortes Island

MLA Michele Babchuk was on Cortes Island for a few days last week. She spoke to Cortes Currents after meeting with some of the island’s non-profits in the Village Commons. This was the third time she’s visited the island since she was elected in 2020. 

“I’m hearing that Cortes actually has a lot of capacity and we’ve known that for a long time. There’s a lot of not for profit groups here. A lot of them are feeling extremely underfunded,” she explained. 

Continue reading MLA Michele Babchuk visits Cortes Island

Cortes Airstrip: the protest and Monday’s town hall meeting

Around 30 people held an impromptu protest in front of the Cortes Airstrip on Wednesday. They received word that a paving crew was coming over on the ferry, to pave the runway. This turned out to be premature, but there will be a town hall meeting at Mansons Hall, from 7 to 9 PM Monday, to discuss the situation. 

Continue reading Cortes Airstrip: the protest and Monday’s town hall meeting

Changes coming to the BC Ferries for Quadra and Cortes Islands

The two much anticipated Island Class hybrid e-ferries are now in operation on the Campbell River to Quadra Island route. The new ferries will be sailing between Campbell River and Quadra Island approximately every half hour between 7:30 AM and 5:50 PM. A single vessel will serve this route in the early morning and evenings. 

“This was a long time coming for all of us, but we’re pleased to have the vessels going and seeing the throughput at the both ends of the terminals. There has been some bumps along the road for sure. We’ve had to make some minor adjustments with the way we stage traffic at the terminals. We’re exploring different options, trying to keep the on-time performance and the traffic moving as fast as we can” said Megan Caldwell, the Terminal Manager for BC Ferries.

Mark Vonesh, the Regional Director for Cortes Island had a different perspective, “We live on Cortes because we like to  have that isolation and sense of distance from the urban centers. That’s something that makes Cortes special, but we rely on the ferry. It’s an essential service for us. We require it for groceries, for medical, for appointments. It’s something that we rely on, and it’s a bottleneck for us. The new ferries that are coming on board obviously created some issues for Cortes.” 

Continue reading Changes coming to the BC Ferries for Quadra and Cortes Islands