High Cruise Passenger Volumes Expected on May 1, 9 and 30

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - April 30, 2015) - High cruise passenger volumes are expected at and around the Canada Place cruise terminal on three days in May: Friday, May 1, Saturday, May 9 and Saturday, May 30.

On each day, a higher-than-usual number of embarking and disembarking cruise passengers is expected between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm at Canada Place. On these busy cruise days, higher than normal traffic volumes are anticipated in the downtown core, along with increased demand for taxis and public transportation.

In an effort to accommodate the additional passengers, Port Metro Vancouver is working with cruise lines, the City of Vancouver, Tourism Vancouver, Vancouver taxi companies and other transportation service providers to raise awareness about the significantly increased demand.

In order to minimize congestion, cruise passengers are asked not to arrive at Canada Place cruise terminal prior to their scheduled embarkation time in order to avoid further congestion while disembarking passengers are leaving their ships. Given the significant number of passengers, Port Metro Vancouver is advising those going to the terminal to make transportation arrangements in advance. All passengers embarking at Canada Place are asked to report to Hall C in the Vancouver Convention Centre-East.

Port Metro Vancouver will have additional staff on site to assist with passenger inquiries. There will also be Vancouver Police Department Traffic Authority staff managing traffic and pedestrian flows at nearby crosswalks.

The Vancouver cruise industry stimulates more than $2 million in economic activity for each vessel that calls at Canada Place. This results in approximately 283,000 hotel-night stays in the city and more than 440,000 around the province, generating some 6,000 direct and indirect jobs, $220 million in wages, and tax revenues for municipal, provincial and federal governments.

View Port Metro Vancouver's 2015 Cruise Schedule.

About Port Metro Vancouver:

Port Metro Vancouver is Canada's largest port and the fourth largest tonnage port in North America, responsible for Canada's trade with more than 160 world economies. Located in a naturally beautiful setting on Canada's west coast, Port Metro Vancouver is responsible for the efficient and reliable movement of goods and passengers, and integrates environmental, social and economic sustainability initiatives into all areas of port operations. Port Metro Vancouver is committed to meaningful engagement with the communities in which it operates and the shared obligation to improve the quality of life for Canadians. Enabling the trade of approximately $187 billion in goods annually, the port generates an estimated 100,000 jobs, $6.1 billion in wages, and $9.7 billion in GDP across Canada. As a non-shareholder, financially self-sufficient corporation established by the Government of Canada, Port Metro Vancouver operates pursuant to the Canada Marine Act and is accountable to the elected federal Minister of Transport.