As many of you have heard, there have been some issues lately connected with the ferry running late enough that high school students could actually catch the earlier boat. In some cases students were expected to sit on a bus in the heat for an excessive period of time to avoid overloading the earlier (but late) ferry. In other instances those who arrived at the terminal by other methods of transport were denied boarding.

The FAC has communicated with BC Ferries and SD68 and received the following assurances and updates:

• Students arriving at the terminal by any means other than the school bus will not be denied passage.
• If the “school bus sailing” is more than 30 minutes late, the bus will hold at the school so that students won’t have to spend too much time downtown,
• Students will be allowed to leave the bus and walk on the ferry rather than being forced to stay on a hot bus.

The FAC requested that if the “school bus ferry” is over an hour late that the bus leave NDSS in time to get on the earlier ferry. SD68 was unable to accommodate this request.

These difficulties arise from a combination of heavier summer ferry traffic and BC Ferries and SD68 COVID-19 protocols. Fortunately the school year is nearly over and we hope that when school resumes in September the situation will be much improved.