VANCOUVER The Port of Vancouver is advising residents and businesses to have contingency plans in place for travel on Friday May 4 and 11 in the morning, due to what is projected to be unusually high demand for taxis by cruise ship passengers. Port, cruise terminal and Tourism Vancouver officials have met with local taxi companies and other service providers to plan for the increased volumes on these two days.

"While this is terrific news for the local economy, we want to do everything possible to minimize the disruption to the general public and cruise passengers," said Chris Badger, Vice President, Customer Development and Operations at the Vancouver Port Authority.

The increased demand is expected due to the large number of independent travellers aboard cruise ships scheduled to arrive in Vancouver at the conclusion of repositioning cruises. Repositioning cruises occur primarily at the beginning and end of the Alaska cruise season, when cruise lines relocate ships to Vancouver from their southern winter itineraries.

"The Port of Vancouver remains an active proponent of an increase in the number of taxi licences and improved regional coordination of taxi services. While there are positive steps being taken toward those goals, these particularly busy days highlight the need for action," said Badger.

As repositioning cruises tend to attract a larger number of independent travellers, who do not have pre-arranged transfers to and from the port, there is a corresponding increase in demand for taxi service. On Friday, the port projects that approximately 6,900 of the 8,800 travellers arriving at Canada Place and Ballantyne Pier will be independent.

Passengers should make advance transportation arrangements or be prepared for potentially lengthy wait times.

The Port of Vancouver, Canada's Flagship Port, is Canada's largest and most diversified port, trading more than $53 billion in goods with more than 90 trading economies annually. The cruise industry provides significant economic benefit to Canada including $1.3 billion in total economic output and $567 million in total GDP annually. Each sailing through Vancouver generates approximately $2 million in economic benefits to the local and provincial economy, and the cruise sector alone creates 13,500 jobs annually at the Port of Vancouver.

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For more information, please contact:

Anne McMullin,
Director, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
Vancouver Port Authority
(604) 665-9069 (office)
(604) 665-9073 (fax)
(778) 231-6978 (cellular)
anne.mcmullin@portvancouver.com

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