Big changes are set to finally come to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal.
BC Ferries has announced a significant infrastructure renewal program to improve operations at the nearly 65-year-old hub – works that were previously planned but stalled due to the economic slowdown at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the next several years the terminal will undergo a series of “essential” improvements to improve on-time performance, enhance the customer experience and ensure continued safe and reliable operation, the province-owned corporation said in a news release.
Planned projects at the terminal include upgrading or replacing the three berths, relocating the control tower, upgrading aging elevated structures and enhancing seismic resilience, reads the release.
The changes aim to streamline traffic flow and allow a broader range of vessels to operate within the constraints of the existing site, BC Ferries said.
The total cost of the Horseshoe Bay terminal renewal is estimated in the “hundreds of millions,” the corporation said, adding that some projects are already in the planning stages.
“A dedicated team is in place to deliver these projects on time and on budget, ensuring cost-effective investments in the terminal’s future,” BC Ferries said.
Changes to terminal access to begin as early as fall 2025
Horseshoe Bay is one of the province’s oldest and busiest terminals, said Stephen Jones, vice-president of engineering.
“And, like many similar infrastructure projects from that era, many of its components are due to be replaced or upgraded,” he said.
“This extensive work is another example of the growing number of significant capital investments necessary to keep our terminals and vessels in their best working condition to ensure they operate safely, reliably and efficiently as we keep millions of customers moving each year,” Jones said.
While much of the work won’t be visible to start, changes to how customers travel through the terminal will start as early as fall 2025, said Melanie Lucia, vice-president of customer experience.
“Minimizing any impacts on both our customers and staff as much as possible will continue to be a priority as planning for the projects continues,” she said.
Plans to overhaul the aging terminal were first announced in 2019. At the time, BC Ferries put forward an ambitious plan with a projected cost of $250 million.
But in August 2020, the corporation said it lost $130 million in expected revenue from a plummet in ridership due to pandemic lockdown and reduced sailings, putting terminal upgrades in limbo.
North Shore News has reached out to BC Ferries for more information, as well as members of the Horseshoe Bay business community for comment.
