Why is BC Ferries Cancelling Sailings? Bad Jobs
BC Ferries’ cancellation crisis is a fine example of what’s gone wrong in Canada’s labour market.
It’s not a shortage of workers, as BC Ferries — to its credit — acknowledges.
BC Ferries has been cancelling record numbers of sailings. The main problem is a lack of workers. Transport Canada sets minimum crew requirements, and ferries can’t sail if even one person is missing.
In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020, 25 sailings were cancelled because of crew shortages. Last year, 1,163 sailings — more than 20 a week — were cancelled because BC Ferries couldn’t get enough people to work. (In total, cancellations rose from 1,511 to 2,886 in that period, with weather responsible for 757 cancellations and mechanical problems responsible for 648.)
