8 MARINE TRANSPORTATION

PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION

FERRY SERVICES

While most major ferry operators in Canada belong to the Canadian Ferry Operators Association (CFOA), Canada's ferry services are marked by wide differences in ownership, services and vessel type. Owners range from small, private operators to provincial governments and federal Crown corporations. Terminals and docking facilities are owned, leased and operated by ferry companies, municipalities, private companies and federal and provincial governments. Vessel types range from small cable ferries to large cruise-type vessels and fast ferries. Operations range from seasonal to year-round service.

For details on the major ferry services, see Addendum Table A8-11. In addition, most major ferry services have their own Web sites, routes and rates.

The 2004 traffic figures for all CFOA members (2005 figures not yet available) give a good indication of the relative size of CFOA operations. An estimated 38 million passengers and 16 million vehicles used Canadian ferry services in 2004. By far Canada's largest operator, the British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. carried over 22 million passengers and 8.6 million vehicles.

British Columbia's Ministry of Transportation and Highways and Fraser River Marine Transportation, also operating inland ferry services, carried another 7.2 million passengers and 3.3 million vehicles. In Quebec, La Société des Traversiers du Québec carried 5.4 million passengers and 2.7 million automobile equivalent units (AEU). In Atlantic Canada, federally supported ferry services are now limited to those provided by Marine Atlantic Inc., a federal Crown corporation, and Northumberland Ferries Ltd. and C.T.M.A. Traversier Ltée, both private-sector operators. On the west coast, the federal government provides an annual grant to British Columbia that is directed to BC Ferries.

In 2004, Marine Atlantic Inc. carried 417,550 passengers and 224,014 vehicles between Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. Northumberland Ferries Ltd. and C.T.M.A. Traversier Ltée carried approximately 494,681 passengers and 207,135 vehicles. The remaining CFOA members, including provincial operators in Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick, accounted for approximately 3.5 million passengers and 1.3 million vehicle crossings.

CRUISE SHIP INDUSTRY

Large cruise vessels calling at Canada's ports are owned by foreign-based companies. Sailing under foreign flags, these vessels offer two basic types of extended cruises: the luxury cruise and the "pocket" cruise, which is distinguished by vessel capacity of typically less than 150 passengers.

After the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, Alaska cruises through British Columbia's scenic Inside Passage are the third most popular in the world. Vancouver and, increasingly, Seattle serve as "home ports," where passengers embark and disembark for these voyages. In 2005, Vancouver's share of this traffic experienced a 2.1 per cent decline from 2004 to 910,172 passengers. This decline is attributable mainly to the Port of Seattle's ability to attract cruise ships by opening new facilities, and to the impact of world events on travel and tourism.

In eastern Canada, luxury cruise vessels regularly depart New York and, travelling up the eastern seaboard, call in at Halifax, Charlottetown and other east coast ports before entering the St. Lawrence River and heading to Quebec City and Montreal. Shorter cruises also sail out of New York or Boston for Halifax, Saint John and other Atlantic ports. Many ports, including Saint John, have been investing in new facilities to serve cruise passengers.

Other Canadian ports also benefit from calls by cruise lines, including Victoria, British Columbia; St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador; and Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Table 8-15 shows international cruise ship traffic at major Canadian ports in 2004 and 2005. Addendum Table A8-12 gives a longer time series.

**TABLE 8-15: INTERNATIONAL CRUISE SHIP TRAFFIC AT MAJOR CANADIAN PORTS, 2004 AND 2005**
(Passengers)
Year	Vancouver	Montreal	Quebec City	Halifax	Saint John
2004	929,976	43,385	71,280	212,834	138,622
2005 (prel.)	910,172	35,359	66,000	190,000	91,000

Source: Canada Port Authorities

Passenger Transportation

Freight Transportation