Sunshine Coast ferry route gets renewed push for investment

Community representatives on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast are urging B.C. Ferries, the B.C. Ferry Authority and the provincial government to pay closer attention to the Route 3 ferry service between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale. The Town of Gibsons Ferry Advisory Committee says the route needs more reliable service, better accessibility and longerterm planning. Its 2026 annual position paper sets out six priorities, including higher minimum service levels, improved reservations, two purposebuilt vessels, reserve vessels to limit disruptions, Langdale terminal redevelopment and better information for travellers during service problems. The request comes after B.C. Ferries reported that about 30 per cent of Route 3 sailings in 2025 were overloaded, up 259 from the previous year. Gibsons Mayor Silas White said the route has often ranked low in systemwide planning and argued that the community should receive investment similar to other parts of the province. B.C. Ferries said its current planning focuses on maintaining existing service and safetyrelated investments, while the provincial transportation ministry said it expects the operator to keep working on reliability and longterm infrastructure plans.