BC Ferries Makes Medical Travel Completely Cost-Free

British Columbians who need to travel for medical reasons by ferry will now have their $18 booking fee waived each way.

“We understand that travelling while unwell, or to treatments and surgeries, can be stressful,” said Janet Carson, Vice President, Marketing and Customer Experience.

“Removing the booking fee is our way of helping with travel certainty while removing the financial burden when travelling to and from doctors’ offices, clinics or hospital.”

The new service is available on bookable routes for those who qualify for the provincial government’s Travel Assistance Program (TAP), which covers transportation costs for eligible B.C. residents who must travel within the province for non-emergency medical services not available in their own communities.

Customers first must obtain a TAP form from their physician, nurse practitioner, or specialty clinic and obtain a TAP confirmation number from Health Insurance BC.

Customers can continue to use a Medical Assured Loading (MAL) letter on all routes, except those that are fully bookable.

MAL is only available for those travelling under the TAP and who have a MAL letter from their medical practitioner that states that it is necessary for
them to avoid a wait at the ferry terminal.

Over 300,000 customers sailed with BC Ferries last year on the provincial government’s TAP.

The cost of waiving booking fees for medical travel is projected to be in the range of $250,000 to $350,000 annually and aligns with the TAP program’s goal of removing financial barriers to healthcare.

For more information, visit BC Ferries.