National

2023 cruise ship season begins in B.C.

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 11 Apr, 2023 09:38 AM

VANCOUVER - Cruise ship season officially launches in British Columbia as the Sapphire Princess berths in Victoria for a one-day visit.

The vessel then travels to Vancouver to begin that city's season.

The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority expects 330 ships between April and October, bringing at least 850,000 passengers to the capital.

The Port of Vancouver says 331 cruise ships are scheduled over the same period, potentially delivering more than one million visitors into the downtown core, with almost daily arrivals and departures at the height of the season between May and September.

Prince Rupert's cruise ship season doesn't start until May 3 with the arrival of the Carnival Miracle, but 43 more ships and nearly 80,000 passengers are scheduled to visit before the season ends at that north coast port in early October.

Cruise ships returned to British Columbia last year following a two-year, COVID-19 related break, with the Port of Vancouver saying it welcomed a record 307 ships, a seven per cent increase over visits in 2019.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Park board has tips to 'respect' Vancouver coyotes

Coyotes are found across Vancouver and prefer sheltered, wooded areas to raise their families, so the board says it will occasionally close trails in high-traffic locations like Stanley Park where they are known to frequent.

Park board has tips to 'respect' Vancouver coyotes

Climate group urges 'made-in-Canada' response

The institute says the federal government shouldn't try to match the incentives and subsidies offered by the U.S. and instead tailor its measures for Canada. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has signalled the March 28 budget will include ways to keep Canada competitive as countries transition their economies to cleaner energy and technologies.

Climate group urges 'made-in-Canada' response

Federal minimum wage rising to $16.65 per hour

The federal minimum wage is rising to $16.65 per hour on April 1, up from $15.55. Ottawa set a federal minimum wage of $15 per hour in 2021 and increases it each year based on inflation. The changes are made every year on April 1.

Federal minimum wage rising to $16.65 per hour

Canada's passport backlog 'completely eliminated'

She also announced that Ottawa is launching a new digital tool that will allow Canadians to check the status of their Service Canada application online, as long as they provide an email address.

Canada's passport backlog 'completely eliminated'

B.C. pharmacist suspended for faked vaccine

The College of Pharmacists of BC says on a post on its website that its inquiry committee has suspended Aftabahmed Shaikh for 30 days and placed a permanent letter of reprimand on his file. The college says its inquiry also found that Shaikh altered the pharmacy's software to make his records more difficult to find.

B.C. pharmacist suspended for faked vaccine

Hate crime team joins Kelowna, B.C., assault probe

Police say a suspect group has been identified, but no arrests have been made. The reason for the attack and the details linked to it are still being determined and the 21-year-old student is being supported by the Mounties' victim services unit.