An unsolved murder in Vancouver and ferry disruptions ahead of the holidays were the main stories in British Columbia. Police have reopened calls for help in a 17-year-old homicide, while BC Ferries canceled sailings due to technical faults, complicating Easter travel.
Unsolved Vancouver murder: 17 years without answers
Nearly seventeen years have passed, and the murder of Wendy Ladner-Beaudry, which shocked Vancouver, remains unsolved. The investigation has stalled, and police are again appealing to the public for help, hoping for any — even the smallest — piece of information that might move the case forward.
On the morning of April 3, 2009, the body of a 53-year-old woman was found in the busy Pacific Spirit Park near the University of British Columbia. Wendy Ladner-Beaudry, a mother of two, wife and sister of former city councillor and Vancouver mayoral candidate Peter Ladner, had gone out for a morning run a few blocks from her home and became the victim of a violent attack. As reported in the vancouver.citynews.ca piece, police have since announced no breakthroughs in the investigation: there is no suspect description and no established motive. Over the years, investigators have checked and eliminated hundreds of people as suspects, but the case remains open. Superintendent Bal Hansra emphasizes that investigators continue to pursue all possible lines of inquiry because “Wendy and her family deserve answers.” The RCMP statement also notes that at this stage it cannot be ruled out that the woman’s death resulted from a random act of violence.
The family, according to the victim’s brother Peter Ladner, has managed to move forward, but Wendy’s bright image remains with them forever. She is remembered as “a dependable sister, loving mother, strong wife, joyful aunt, dear friend, devoted mentor and smiling neighbour.” To find the person who took her life, police are asking anyone who has not yet spoken to investigators — or who may have dismissed a detail as unimportant — to come forward. “We believe someone still has information that could help advance this case,” Hansra said. RCMP phone numbers are provided for contact. This high-profile case has long become a symbol of unsolved crimes, and each new appeal is not only an attempt to shake the public but also a painful reminder for the family of the irreplaceable loss and lack of justice.
British Columbia ferries cancel sailings ahead of Easter long weekend
Residents of British Columbia planning travel between Vancouver and Vancouver Island face unpleasant surprises ahead of the Easter long weekend. Ferry operator B.C. Ferries canceled a number of sailings on key routes — a near-traditional holiday problem that has frustrated thousands and disrupted plans.
As reported by CBC, cancellations affected sailings between Tsawwassen and Duke Point on Thursday and Friday due to a delay in returning one ferry from scheduled repairs. Schedules on the Swartz Bay–Tsawwassen route were also altered because of a mechanical fault on another vessel. These incidents came at an especially bad time, just before Easter, when traffic across the Georgia (Salish Sea) Strait typically surges. Nanaimo mayor Leonard Krog bitterly likened the recurring cancellations to “a terrible holiday ritual,” as if “the travel gods are angry again.” He stressed that for islanders the ferry is “our highway,” and its closure is equivalent to shutting a vital roadway with no adequate alternatives for nearly a million Vancouver Island residents. He mentioned alternatives such as Harbour Air, Seair and Hullo Ferries, but their capacity is not comparable to the main ferry operator.
The problem is systemic. Aware of capacity shortfalls and an aging fleet, B.C. Ferries announced last year an order for four new vessels for major routes, expected to increase capacity by roughly 12%. However, the project is controversial because the shipyard awarded the contract is state-owned in China. Provincial authorities explained the decision by saying no Canadian company bid on the tender and that building in Europe would have cost at least a billion dollars more. Meanwhile, starting April 8 the company is raising fares by an average of 3.2%. A standard adult fare with a vehicle between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island will increase by $5 to $110, while a walk-on passenger will pay $1 more — $21. As a compensatory measure, B.C. Ferries says it will expand discounted “economy fares” to more than 30% of bookable seats, mainly for midweek and early-morning sailings.
The situation highlights the vulnerability of the transport infrastructure linking the island to the mainland. Cancellations due to mechanical failures and repair delays during peak periods have become a chronic headache, undermining residents’, tourists’ and businesses’ plans. Buying new vessels is a step in the right direction, but their entry into service is a matter for the future. For now, passengers must once again put up with inconvenience and rising costs, hoping the “travel gods” will be kinder on the next long weekend.
BC Ferries introduces revised schedule for the holiday weekend after mass cancellations
Plans for Easter holidays by residents and visitors to British Columbia heading to Vancouver Island may need to be revised. BC Ferries, the vital operator connecting the province’s mainland with the island, faced a series of technical problems that led to cancellations and a forced schedule change for the upcoming long weekend.
As often happens before holidays, demand for crossings is high. But this time serious technical faults on key vessels compounded the usual congestion. According to the company website, as early as Tuesday, March 31, several sailings between the major terminals Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen were canceled due to a failure of the starboard generator on the Spirit of Vancouver Island. That vessel only returned to service on Saturday after repairs for the same issue, suggesting a recurring or not fully resolved defect. In addition, a delay in returning another vessel to service after scheduled maintenance also contributed to the disrupted timetable. On Wednesday morning a new warning appeared about problems aboard the Queen of New Westminster departing from Tsawwassen, where the crew was attempting to fix another mechanical fault.
As a result, BC Ferries published a revised schedule effective April 1–8. The cancellations for Thursday included four sailings on the Tsawwassen–Duke Point route: 9:00 and 14:00 from Duke Point and 11:30 and 16:30 from Tsawwassen. On Friday two morning sailings were also canceled: 9:00 from Duke Point and 11:30 from Tsawwassen. For passengers whose bookings were affected, the company says customer service representatives will contact them to offer an alternative sailing or a refund. Additional information about compensation is available online. The company suggests using the Horseshoe Bay (Vancouver)–Departure Bay (Nanaimo) route as an alternative, though drivers must prepay 30 minutes before departure due to infrastructure work at Horseshoe Bay.
This situation exposes chronic problems with BC Ferries’ aging fleet and its vulnerability during peak demand. Mechanical breakdowns, especially recurring faults on freshly repaired vessels, raise questions about service quality and the long-term fleet renewal strategy. For thousands who depend on ferry service — tourists, families heading to gatherings, and businesses — such disruptions mean not just inconvenience but real financial losses, ruined plans and stress. The company recommends passengers monitor current information via the “Current Conditions” section on its website, its X (formerly Twitter) account, or the hotline. Meanwhile, as engineers investigate the generator malfunction, travelers should build extra time into their holiday journeys and be prepared for last-minute schedule changes.
