GREATER Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) in Canada is advocating for the country’s marine department to announce plans to rescind the order suspending cruise, in effect until 28 Feb 2022.
Planning and certainty is required for the cruise industry in British Columbia, GVHA said, adding the threatening permanence of the exemption to the United States’ Passenger Vessel Services Act could decimate the CAD$2.7 billion cruise industry in British Columbia.
Signed into law in May, the exemption allows cruise ships to bypass Canada for the 2021 season, and GVHA Chief Executive Officer Ian Robertson is asking Transport Canada to announce an end of the suspension by the northern autumn.