Larger Victoria Harbor Authority seeks finish to federal ban on cruise traces in Canada – Saanich Information

The Greater Victoria Harbor Authority is asking Transport Canada to lift an order to suspend cruises in Canada until March 2022.

Port Authority CEO Ian Robertson has asked federal authorities to end that suspension this fall so that BC’s $ 2.6 billion cruise industry can prepare for a return in 2022 while taking action to public Canada’s health security compliance.

A temporary exemption from the U.S. Passenger Ship Service Act signed in May allows cruise lines to bypass Canada for 2021, but if made permanent it would decimate the industry, the port authority said.

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“Cruise lines are taking time to prepare for full cruise resumption and the Canadian government needs to signal through Transport Canada that it is ready to resume the industry in a safe and measured manner,” Robertson said in a press release Friday.

“We are continuing to work with the provincial government and industry partners to ask Transport Canada to confirm that cruises are welcome in Canada.”

Robertson said the decision should be made in accordance with the reopening of the land and sea borders between Canada and the United States.

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The Port Authority is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that oversees the growth and management of Victoria’s working port. Among the many waterfront properties it manages is the Victoria Cruise Terminal, which contributes over $ 130 million annually to the Greater Victoria’s economy and provides 800 direct and indirect jobs.

For more information on the value of greater Victoria cruises, please visit gvha.ca.

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