Photo: COURTESY MATTHEW WARD
A vehicle fire at Tsawwassen ferry terminal delayed B.C. Ferries sailings as long-weekend travel pushed major routes close to full capacity.
Vehicle Fire Slows Busy Long-Weekend Ferry Travel
A vehicle fire at the Tsawwassen ferry terminal disrupted travel on Friday, causing delays for passengers on the busy Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay route during one of the busiest travel weekends of the summer.
The incident happened as thousands of people travelled between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island for the long weekend. As a result, several sailings left later than planned, adding to already heavy traffic at the terminal.
Several Sailings Left Behind Schedule
B.C. Ferries confirmed that the 5 p.m. sailing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay departed about 35 minutes late after the fire.
In addition, the 7 p.m. sailing from Swartz Bay and the 9 p.m. departure from Tsawwassen also experienced delays. Although ferry crews worked to keep operations moving, the disruption affected multiple departures throughout the evening.
Heavy Demand Added to Longer Waits
At the same time, the long weekend created extra pressure on major ferry routes. Many travellers without reservations faced long waits before boarding.
On Friday morning, customers hoping to travel on the Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay route without a booking encountered waits of up to six sailings. Meanwhile, sailings from Tsawwassen to Duke Point reached full capacity from 11:30 a.m. onward.
However, ferries travelling from Vancouver Island back to the mainland still had limited space available on some departures.
Walk-On Passengers Encouraged
B.C. Ferries spokesperson Lilian Kim urged travellers without reservations to consider travelling as walk-on passengers instead of bringing a vehicle whenever possible.
Doing so can help reduce congestion and improve the chances of boarding sooner, especially during peak travel periods.
Busy Weekend Expected Across Major Routes
The ferry operator expects Saturday, Sunday, and Monday mornings and early afternoons to be the busiest travel times of the holiday weekend.
According to Kim, travel volumes are likely to match last year’s long-weekend traffic. During the same holiday period in 2025, major B.C. Ferries routes carried about 130,000 vehicles and more than 400,000 passengers.
Travellers planning to sail over the weekend are encouraged to check sailing availability before leaving home and to arrive prepared for possible delays, especially if they do not have a reservation.
