VICTORIA, BC – Gas prices are rising, and so will ferry charges.
Starting on June 1st, BC Ferries will add a 1.5 per cent fuel surcharge, according to a BC Ferries announcement.
The announcement added that BC Ferries closely monitors fuel costs and depending on the situation, applies a rebate or surcharge, or neither, under a regulatory process independent of fares.
BC Ferries has been using a fuel rebate/surcharge mechanism for the past 15 years. This means when fuel prices are lower, BC Ferries passes lower fuel prices to customers through a rebate. When fuel costs are higher, the company adds a surcharge, which is designed to cover the additional cost of fuel.
According to the BC Ferries release, the company does not financially benefit from surcharges or rebates.
On average, the surcharge will be 1.5 per cent for all routes, except Port Hardy-Prince Rupert, Prince Rupert-Haida Gwaii and Port Hardy-Central Coast routes. BC Ferries added these routes will not have a fuel surcharge at this time, as they have a different fuel cost mechanism.
With the surcharge, the new ferry costs will be:
- Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay – $17.45 (foot passenger); $58.35 (passenger vehicle)
- Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay – $17.45 (foot passenger); $58.35 (passenger vehicle)
- Powell River-Little River – $13.70 (foot passenger); $42.80 (passenger vehicle)
- Powell River-Texada – $9.80 (foot passenger); $23.20 (passenger vehicle)
- Buckley Bay-Denman Island – $9.00 (foot passenger); $20.95 (passenger vehicle)
- Denman Island-Hornby Island – $9.00 (foot passenger); $20.95 (passenger vehicle)
- Campbell River-Quadra Island – $9.00 (foot passenger); $20.95 (passenger vehicle)
- Quadra Island-Cortes Island – $10.60 (foot passenger); $24.45 (passenger vehicle)
