Cruise chip cancellations will hit B.C. economy hard

VANCOUVER — Transport Canada’s decision to suspend the cruise season until July 1 will mean 114 cancelled cruise ship arrivals and almost 300,000 fewer passengers this spring and summer in the Victoria area, says the harbour authority’s chief executive officer.

Ian Robertson said Friday he respects the federal government’s decision to protect the health and safety of Canadians over COVID19, but the suspension will have far-reaching economic consequences.

“The decision taken by the government, we fully support,” he said. “That said, this will have a significant economic impact upon Victoria with Victoria being Canada’s busiest cruise ship port-of-call.”

Victoria’s original cruise ship projections for the 2020 season, which runs from April to October, was for 300 ship arrivals with an estimated 800,000 passengers, he told a news conference.

Robertson said the cruise ship season provides about 1,000 local jobs and injects about $130 million into Victoria’s economy, with many small businesses, artisans, entertainers and tour guides counting on tourists from cruise ships.

“The effect is broad and, unfortunately, the effect is going to be on small business,” he said.

The cruise industry is worth about $3 billion annually to Canada’s economy, with two-thirds of that generated on the West Coast, he added.

Meanwhile, three administrative workers at Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver have tested positive for COVID19.

Vancouver Coastal Health said Friday they are in self-isolation at home and are recovering. They have not worked in the hospital’s clinical areas.

The authority’s medical health officers were investigating the source of the transmission and following up with other staff members who might have had close contact with the infected employees.

The health authority said only family members are allowed to visit the hospital, out of an abundance of caution. There are no restrictions on patient access.

British Columbia’s two largest cities, Vancouver and Surrey, are also complying with the latest directions from the provincial health officer to cancel all gatherings of more than 250 people to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Vancouver says performances at two city-operated theatres were cancelled Thursday night and Friday’s events at the Queen Elizabeth, Playhouse and Orpheum theatres were also called off.

Officials say Vancouver’s business continuity plans have been activated to ensure core services, such as water, sewers, police and fire, are maintained.

Among the events cancelled are Surrey’s annual Vaisakhi parade, attracting more than 500,000 people, and the 4/20 marijuana festival in Vancouver. Both gatherings were set for late April.

Because of the restriction on gatherings over 250 people, UBC said it is working to find ways to hold lectures and classes online if they exceed that number. Until then, those classes have been suspended, but smaller classes will continue as normal.