BC Ferries has announced a partnership with The Great Trail that sees three BC Ferries routes recognized as marine links connecting the trail from the Lower Mainland to Vancouver Island. The three routes recognized as links to the trail are: Metro Vancouver – Victoria (Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay), Metro Vancouver – Nanaimo (Tsawwassen – Duke Point) and Metro Vancouver – Nanaimo (Horseshoe Bay – Departure Bay).
The Great Trail (also known as The Trans Canada Trail) is the world’s longest network of recreational trails that accommodates walking, hiking, cycling, horseback riding and canoeing, as well as cross-country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter. It is comprised of 432 individual trails spanning across the country. The Great Trail expects to connect these individual trails together by the end 2017 in celebration of Canada’s 150th. Once connected, The Great Trail will link 15,000 communities along 24,000 km of trail from coast to coast to coast.
“BC Ferries is pleased to partner with The Great Trail in Canada’s 150th year,” said Janet Carson, BC Ferries’ vice president of marketing and travel services. “We’re proud to have the experience of taking a ferry through our beautiful coastal waters recognized in the BC portion of this Trans-Canada Trail.”
Today the B.C. portion of the trail is approximately 3,000 kilometers. To begin the journey along The Great Trail, there are three Kilometer 0 markers: one in the Inuvialuit community of Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories; one in Cape Spear, Newfoundland; and another in Victoria on Vancouver Island.
“BC Ferries is a perfect fit for us, especially during our connection year,” said Deborah Apps, president & CEO, Trans Canada Trail. “The Trail is known for its diversity of activities, and we are not only very excited to add these waters to our network of blueways but also thrilled that the culture at BC Ferries encourages outdoor adventures and experiences, which is exactly what The Great Trail is all about.”
In April, BC Ferries installed banners at the terminals that link the trail. The banners celebrate The Great Trail and the connection from coast to coast to coast for Canada’s 150th. The Great Trail is also featured in the 2017 issue of onBoard Magazine, available on board vessels and at select terminals this summer.
