Passengers travelling with BC Ferries will have to leave their vehicles on enclosed car decks as of Wednesday, September 30, for safety reasons.
Affected routes are: Powell River – Comox; Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay; Tsawwassen – Duke Point; Horseshoe Bay – Departure Bay; and Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands.
According to a media release from BC Ferries, the company must comply with a Transport Canada regulation, which it supports. Passengers parked on lower, enclosed decks must go to upper passenger areas or outer passenger decks.
Customers can remain inside their vehicles on upper or open car decks.
Transport Canada started allowing an exemption early in the spring that allowed BC Ferries passengers to remain in their vehicles on the lower, closed car decks, to help travellers maintain distance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many safety measures are in place including additional cleaning, sanitization, physical distancing and mandatory wearing of face coverings while at the terminal and onboard the vessel, according to BC Ferries. Customers who are non-compliant may face a travel ban and/or a monetary fine.
The regulation can be found in Section 152 of the Cargo, Tackle and Fumigation Regulations under the Canada Shipping Act. For more information, go to tc.canada.ca.
