BC Ferries confirmed Friday that it will deny travel to customers travelling for non-essential reasons on routes crossing regional zones.
The province announced Friday that it is splitting B.C. up into three regional zones in order to enforce new travel restrictions.
The new order prohibits non-essential travel between Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley (Fraser Health and Coastal Health regions), Vancouver Island (Island Health region) and Northern/Interior (Interior Health and Northern Health regions).
BC Ferries says the new order will affect the following routes:
- Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay
- Tsawwassen – Duke Point
- Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands
- Horseshoe Bay – Departure Bay
- Comox – Powell River
- Port Hardy – Prince Rupert
Customers on those routes will be asked if their travel is essential and will be denied passage if it’s not essential.
The provincial government has provided guidelines on what qualifies as essential travel.
Customers travelling on routes operating within the same regional zone will be reminded they should be avoiding non-essential travel.
BC Ferries says it is looking to other jurisdictional authorities for help in enforcing the order.
It also said it is not scheduling extra sailings for the May long weekend.
It also added a check box to the online booking website to allow customers to confirm they are travelling for essential reasons.
—With files from Richard Zussman and Amy Judd