BC Ferries won't raise fares this fall. A summer surplus is why

BC Ferries passengers won't see emergency fare hikes or a bigger fuel surcharge in the near future, after the ferry commissioner signed off on a bookkeeping move that quietly absorbs the company's fuel debt.

Commissioner Eva Hage approved BC Ferries' request to apply its price cap balance as of Sept. 30 to its fuel deferral account, offsetting the extra the company paid for fuel this year. Volatile global markets pushed fuel costs up 20% to 40%, Hage said, and the account is projected to fall roughly $30.2 million into the red by March 31, 2027.

The company had already added a temporary 5% fuel surcharge in June, but even a full summer of it wasn't enough to cover the gap. During the busy spring and summer, more customers pay full fare, which pushed BC Ferries' rolling average above its price cap and left it holding more revenue than the rules allow. Transferring that money back down covers part of the fuel bill and resets the books.

Hage also asked that Saver fares make up at least 20% of all major-route fares offered in 2027, a small nudge toward cheaper travel options.