8 MARINE TRANSPORTATION

PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION

Ferry Services

The Canadian Ferry Operators Association (CFOA) counts most major ferry operators in Canada as members. When it comes to ferry services in Canada, wide differences in services, ownership and vessel type used are observed. Ownership ranges from small, private operators to provincial governments and federal Crown corporations. Ferry companies, municipalities, private companies and federal and provincial governments also own, lease and operate terminals and docking facilities. Vessel types vary from small cable ferries to large cruise-type vessels and fast ferries, and operations range from seasonal to year-round service.

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

Traffic figures for 2002 for all members of the CFOA are not yet available. The traffic figures for 2001, however, are a good indication of the relative size of CFOA operations. Total passenger traffic is estimated at over 40 million passengers and 17 million vehicles. This represents approximately 15 per cent of total worldwide ferry traffic.

The British Columbia Ferry Corporation is by far the largest operator in Canada. In 2001, it carried approximately 21.5 million passengers and 7.9 million vehicles. Inland ferry services are also operated by British Columbia's Ministry of Transportation and Highways and Fraser River Marine Transportation; they carried another 6.6 million passengers and 3 million vehicles. In Quebec, La Société des traversiers du Québec carried 5.4 million passengers and 2.5 million vehicles.

In 2002, the federal Crown corporation Marine Atlantic Inc. increased its traffic to a record 512,000 passengers and 245,000 vehicles between Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. Private ferry operators subsidized by the federal government also increased their overall traffic and in 2002 carried approximately 950,000 passengers and 340,000 vehicles. The remaining CFOA members, including provincial operations in Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick, accounted for approximately 4 million passengers and 1.8 million vehicle crossings.

Federally supported ferry services in Atlantic Canada are now limited to those provided by Marine Atlantic Inc. and two private-sector operators, Northumberland Ferries Ltd. and C.T.M.A. Traversier Ltée. In addition, the federal government provides an annual grant to the Province of British Columbia, which is directed to BC Ferries.

Cruise Ship Industry

The large cruise vessels calling at Canada's ports are owned by foreign-based companies and fly foreign flags. These vessels offer two basic types of extended cruises, the luxury cruise and the pocket cruise, which are distinguished by vessel capacity of more or less than 150 passengers.

Alaska cruises through British Columbia's scenic Inside Passage are the third most popular in the world, after the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. Vancouver and (to an increasing extent) Seattle serve as "home ports" (where passengers embark and/or disembark) for these voyages. At Vancouver's Canada Place, a third berth has been opened at its cruise ship terminal. Prince Rupert, already active in the pocket cruise ship market, has announced the construction of a $9 million cruise ship berth to attract calls by the luxury lines in the Alaska trade.

In Eastern Canada, luxury cruise vessels sail out of New York and up the eastern seaboard, calling in Halifax, Charlottetown and other East Coast ports before entering the St. Lawrence River for calls at Quebec City and Montreal. There are also shorter cruises out of New York or Boston that travel northward to Halifax, Saint John and other Atlantic ports. Quebec City opened a new cruise terminal in 2002 and saw a dramatic increase in passenger traffic (up 36 per cent over 2001).

Table 8-14 shows international cruise ship traffic at major Canadian ports in 2001 and 2002. For a longer time series (1992 to 2002), see Addendum Table A8-12. Other Canadian ports, such as Charlottetown and Victoria, also benefit from calls by major cruise lines.

Source: Canada Port Authorities

Major Events in 2002

Infrastructure

Industry Structure

Passenger Transportation

Freight Transportation