Longtime Islanders will regale the relative newcomer with tales of driving to a terminal and loading right up on a B.C. ferry. Those memories are generally peppered with the occasional street hockey game filling one- or two-sailing waits between the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island during heavy travel periods.
At one time, backups at BC Ferries were reserved for long weekends, summer travel, extreme weather and events on the mainland. Now they鈥檙e the norm, with demands mounting year-round, according to the BC Ferries Service.
In 2025, boats on the busiest routes filling up mid-week with reservations aren鈥檛 a surprise to regular users. And travel demands are mounting year round in both commercial and general passenger traffic, said Sonia Lowe, senior communications advisor for the service.
鈥淟ast year we handled our highest peak season traffic ever and we鈥檝e just seen B.C.鈥檚 population rise, particularly on the coast,鈥� Lowe said.
Sailings on the major routes ran at an average 92 per cent capacity during the peak season in 2024, with many sailings fully booked days in advance. BC Ferries introduced the 鈥渁dvanced purchases fare option鈥� or reservations in 2021 in response to user feedback.
鈥淚t鈥檚 better predictability and less waiting,鈥� Lowe said.
Since then travellers have adapted even as the system evolved. Today, 85 per cent of each sailing can be reserved, though it鈥檚 not a static number, that rate can fluctuate based on route and traffic volumes.
It also allows for a small allocation of deck space for emergency vehicles, medical assured loading, or those using the travel assistance program.
鈥淎s we see those populations grow, we are seeing continued pressure on the system. We鈥檙e seeing that pressure build not only on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday,鈥� Lowe said.
Sometimes the push starts on Wednesday and rides right through to the next Tuesday. Extreme weather also becomes a factor, as it did with recent winds that impacted ferries between the Southern Gulf Islands, Tsawwassen, Duke Point and Swartz Bay. The operations and security centre is in touch with Environment Canada through the day, Lowe said, watching those weather systems to anticipate impact.
In two months alone last summer, almost a quarter of a million customers were impacted by waits, many related to mechanical breakdowns of aging vessels, the ferry service said in announcing its supplemental application to build five new vessels.
The service applied to the British Columbia Ferries Commissioner reiterating its belief five new ferries are the 鈥渕ost cost-effective and responsible solution for customers and coastal communities amid rising global economic uncertainty.鈥�
It goes beyond getting on and off the islands or coastal communities accessed by ferry, BC Ferries is also a critical transport for groceries and other essential goods, making it vital to the B.C. economy, Lowe said.
With the population in the province projected to increase by up to 44 per cent by 2046, according to BC stats, demand for ferry travel is expected to continue rising. However, major route capacity hasn鈥檛 meaningfully increased in nearly 30 years, the ferry service said.
鈥淭hat ties into why we鈥檙e pushing to build new vessels, those statistics show our population will continue to grow,鈥� Lowe said.
The commissioner is reviewing BC Ferries鈥� latest submission with an expected public comment period before issuing a final decision by March 14.
In the meantime, residents are adopting new habits for travelling aboard BC Ferries; avoiding peak times, using saver fares offered on lesser-used sailings and making reservations.
Lowe has a tip for that.
鈥淚f you go online and you鈥檇 like a reservation for 5 p.m. on Friday, if you see them all filled up, just go back and refresh. People will move their reservations around quite a bit,鈥� Lowe said. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 see your preferred time available just keep going back.鈥�
