Thousands of Islanders left without power on Boxing Day, wind warnings persist

More than 1,200 BC Hydro customers on Vancouver Island woke up without power on the holiday and BC Ferries canceled several sailings yesterday and today due to continued strong winds.

Continue reading below to find out which areas are affected by power outages, ferry cancellations and weather alerts on Vancouver Island.

Power outages on Vancouver Island

Nearly 700 residents in Campbell River, Port Hardy and Port Alberni have been without power since December 25.

As of 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 26, BC Hydro said crews were assigned to all areas, with arrivals expected by mid-morning for most locations.

Wind storms and fallen trees on power lines caused outages to more than 1,200 customers in Duncan, Ganges, Mayne Island and Saturna Island on Christmas Day.

BC Hydro said that as of 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 26, crews were en route or had already reached some areas. However, some locations may experience an arrival delay of up to midday due to ferry schedules.

For the latest information, see BC Hydro’s list of power outages.

Read on for ferry cancellations and weather alerts.

BC Ferries sailing cancellations on the holiday

At 6 a.m. on December 26, BC Ferries provided an update after canceling several sailings on main routes on Christmas Day.

From Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen

On Thursday morning, BC Ferries canceled eight sailings between Tsawwassen (Vancouver) and Swartz Bay (Victoria), ranging from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. in both directions due to strong winds and waves.

Crossings should resume throughout the day from 9 a.m. For the latest updates, visit BC Ferries.

The story continues.

Crossing cancellations, Thursday December 26:
6:00 departing from Swartz Bay
6:00 departing from Tsawwassen
7:00 a.m. departing from Swartz Bay
7:00 a.m. departing Tsawwassen
8:00 a.m. departing from Swartz Bay
8:00 a.m. departing from Tsawwassen
9:00 a.m. departing from Swartz Bay
9:00 a.m. departing from Tsawwassen

Annulations : Southern Gulf Islands vers Tsawwassen

Shortly after 8 a.m. on the day of the holiday, BC Ferries announced that all sailings between Tsawwassen and the Southern Gulf Islands were canceled for the day.

“To ensure the safety of our customers and crew, the following sailings between Tsawwassen (Vancouver) and the Southern Gulf Islands must be canceled today, Thursday, December 26, due to Environment Canada’s severe weather forecast for high winds strong and unfavorable sea state,” the statement said.

Canceled sailings include:
8:20 a.m. departing from Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island) to Tsawwassen (Vancouver)
9:55 a.m. departing from Tsawwassen (Vancouver) to Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island)

BC Ferries says that due to the cancellations, customers in Long Harbor (Salt Spring Island), Otter Bay (Pender Island) and Village Bay (Mayne Island) will be affected and “will not be able to travel directly to and from Tsawwassen this morning. ”

However, the inter-island service will continue with a scheduled 11am departure from Sturdies Bay to Village Bay. An alternative option for customers is to travel through fare. Click here to learn more.

Duke Point – Long time

On the morning of Thursday, December 26, BC Ferries announced four cancellations between Duke Point and Tsawwassen ranging from 5:15 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. due to strong winds and waves.

However, operations resumed later in the morning. There are six sailings remaining scheduled today with the next departure from Duke Point at 10:15 a.m., with room for foot passengers.

The story continues.

Crossing cancellations, Thursday December 26:
5:15 a.m. from Tsawwassen
5:15 a.m. from Duke Point
7:45 a.m. from Tsawwassen
7:45 a.m. from Duke Point

Read on for weather alerts from Environment Canada.

A wind warning is in effect for western portions of Metro Vancouver, Greater Victoria and the Southern Gulf Islands, valid until noon.

“Strong southeasterly winds reaching 70 km/h with gusts up to 90 km/h are expected for Greater Victoria and the Southern Gulf Islands,” says Environment Canada, adding “Very strong winds from the west reaching 70 km/h with gusts reaching 90 km/h for Metro Vancouver and near the Strait of Juan de Fuca.”

The statement said to expect travel disruptions and the risk of power outages, as well as strong winds that could topple light objects or damage outdoor decorations.

There is also a high risk of rising waters in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with “low pressure systems bringing strong southeasterly winds to the inland coast,” the statement said. Be vigilant for falling trees or broken branches.

“A rapid transition to strong westerly winds is expected this morning. This will spread across Metro Vancouver and across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Winds are expected to decrease near noon. At high tide this morning, vigorous westerly winds will cause high water levels near the Strait of Juan de Fuca, particularly near Victoria Harbour.”

Check the high tide warning for Greater Victoria below.

Weather warning for Greater Victoria

“High ocean water levels exceeding the highest astronomical tides are expected,” Environment Canada said Thursday morning for coastlines along the Strait of Juan de Fuca, including Victoria Harbour.

High tides are expected from this morning until midday.

“Large waves due to strong southwest winds, storm surges and seasonally high tides could cause high water levels this morning,” Environment Canada said, adding “Minor coastal flooding is possible along exposed shorelines, particularly in low-lying areas.”

Rain is expected for Nanaimo, Malahat to Mill Bay, Greater Victoria and the Southern Gulf Islands with a mix of sun and cloud, and temperatures reaching 10 degrees Celsius in most areas, 9°C for Nanaimo.

Continue to follow Environment Canada for the latest information.

Road events

DriveBC issued a statement Thursday morning warning drivers in Chemainus to watch for standing water on the roads.

Along Highway 1 (TransCanada), watch out for standing water between Mt. Sicker Road and Radford Road for 8.0 km, says DriveBC.

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