New Westminster, BC – The City of New Westminster is excited to announce a demonstration passenger ferry service between the Quayside and Queensborough neighbourhoods. The Q to Q ferry service will run from August 4th to September 24th, 2017 and will operate on Saturdays, Sundays, and holiday Mondays between the hours of 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. The service will also run Friday evenings in August from 5:00 – 9:00 pm to accommodate the Fridays on Front event.
“Connecting the Queensborough and Quayside neighbourhoods has been a long-standing priority for the City of New Westminster,” said Mayor Jonathan Coté. “The demonstration ferry service is a unique transportation alternative for accessing local businesses and destinations.”
The service runs from a dock below the Inn at the Quay near the River Market to the Port Royal public dock in Queensborough and crossing time will be approximately 5 minutes. The first sailing will depart from the Quay at 9:00 am with departures every 20 minutes and the last sailing will leave the Quay at 6:40 pm (no sailings at 10:40 am, 1:20 pm, 1:40 pm or 4:40 pm). The first sailing from Port Royal will depart at 9:10 am with departures every 20 minutes and the last sailing will leave Port Royal at 6:50 pm (no sailings at 10:50 am, 1:30 pm, 1:50 pm or 4:50 pm).
The ferry vessel, MV Hollyburn operated by Western Pacific Marine, can hold up to 40 passengers and four bicycles. Fares are $2 for adults, $1 for seniors and children between the ages of 5 and 16, and free for children under 5. Although exact change is required on the ferry, tokens can be purchased in advance at the Anvil Centre, Queensborough Community Centre, and Tre Galli Gelato Caffé located in the River Market.
This Q to Q demonstration ferry service connection will provide access from the growing high-density residential community in Queensborough to a number of destinations in downtown New Westminster including the River Market, Westminster Pier Park, Anvil Centre, SkyTrain, and other transit services. Residents and visitors will also benefit from enhanced access to Queensborough’s businesses and scenic riverfront trails.
The demonstration ferry service will provide an interim connection to help better understand the potential demand for a future permanent connection. During the demonstration period, statistics and information will be collected regarding ferry usage. Surveys will also be conducted to gain more insight on where passengers live and work, the purpose and destination of their trips, and how frequently they would use the service if the service was expanded.
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Contact:
Mark Allison
Manager, Strategic Initiatives and Sustainability
City of New Westminster
604-527-4653 or