Pandemic pushes BC Ferries revenue losses to $62 million in first quarter

BC Ferries says it sank to a first quarter loss of 62 million dollars due to the impact of COVID-19 on ferry traffic.

That compares with a profit of 12.2 million dollars in the April to June period last year.

It says revenue was down 109 million dollars as lockdowns imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 saw ferry traffic plummet at the start of the pandemic.

A statement from BC Ferries says ferry traffic dropped 75 to 80 per cent across the system in a matter of days at the outset of the pandemic.

The province announced earlier this month that BC Ferries would be included in a 1.08 billion dollar federal-provincial fund to deal with the impact of the pandemic.