'Gale warnings' cancel most BC Ferries sailings between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island
A powerful windstorm forecast to hit British Columbia’s South Coast has forced the cancellation of numerous BC Ferries sailings.
BC Ferries announced that the cancellations on Monday, Dec. 22, were due to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s “severe weather forecast for high winds and wave height in the Strait of Georgia.”
There have been several cancellations of sailings on all three major routes between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, as well as the Southern Gulf Islands, from mid-morning until at least this evening.
Daniel Chai/Daily Hive
“Gale warnings are in effect for the South Coast,” warned BC Ferries on social media.
“High winds and sea conditions have resulted in sailing cancellations across multiple routes.”
As of 1:15 p.m., here is the revised schedule for the major routes of Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay, Tsawwassen-Duke Point, and Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay.
- Tsawassen-Swartz Bay
- Cancelled sailings, Dec. 22:
- 10 a.m. departing Swartz Bay
- 10 a.m. departing Tsawwassen
- 11 a.m. departing Swartz Bay
- 11 a.m. departing Tsawwassen
- Noon departing Swartz Bay
- Noon departing Tsawwassen
- 1 p.m. departing Swartz Bay
- 1 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
- 2 p.m. departing Swartz Bay
- 2 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
- 3 p.m. departing Swartz Bay
- 3 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
- 4 p.m. departing Swartz Bay
- 4 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
- 5 p.m. departing Swartz Bay
- 5 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
- Cancelled sailings, Dec. 22:
- Tsawwassen-Duke Point
- Cancelled sailings, Dec. 22:
- 9 a.m. departing Duke Point
- 10:15 a.m. departing Tsawwassen
- 10:15 a.m. departing Duke Point
- 11:30 a.m. departing Tsawwassen
- 12:45 p.m. departing Duke Point
- 12:45 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
- 3:15 p.m. departing Duke Point
- 3:15 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
- 5:45 p.m. departing Duke Point
- 5:45 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
- Cancelled sailings, Dec. 22:
- Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay
- Cancelled sailings, Dec. 22:
- 10:55 a.m. departing Departure Bay
- 11:05 a.m. departing Horseshoe Bay
- 1:20 p.m. departing Departure Bay
- 1:25 p.m. departing Horseshoe Bay
- 4 p.m. departing Departure Bay
- 4 p.m. departing Horseshoe Bay
- 6:20 p.m. departing Departure Bay
- 6:20 p.m. departing Horseshoe Bay
- Cancelled sailings, Dec. 22:
⚠️ #TravelAdvisory ⚠️
Our Customer Service Centre is experiencing high call volumes. Wait times may be longer than normal as phone lines reach capacity. We appreciate your patience as we work to assist as many customers as possible.Service Notices
👉 https://t.co/t4nLESuxHg— BC Ferries (@BCFerries) December 22, 2025
Three sailings between Tsawwassen and the Southern Gulf Islands were also cancelled today, including the 2:30 p.m. departing Tsawwassen, the 3:50 p.m. departing Village Bay, and the 4:45 p.m. departing Long Harbour.
“If you have a booking on one of these cancelled sailings, you will hear from our Customer Service Centre to let you know if we can fit you on an alternate sailing later today, or if your booking must be cancelled,” BC Ferries explained online. “In the case of a cancellation, we will refund your fees and/or fares.”
Daniel Chai/Daily Hive
The BC Ferries cancellations come as a wind storm is set to batter Metro Vancouver with gusts up to 90 km/h.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has issued a wind warning for parts of Metro Vancouver, with a frontal system bringing gusts up to 90 km/h.
It comes less than a week after a storm knocked out power to over 100,000 customers across B.C., and just 12 days after flood waters caused evacuations in parts of the Fraser Valley.