Update: BC Transit plans to resume regular services on Saturday, with some diversions to avoid hills and narrow roads. But these methods will not work: 12, 13, 53, 59, 60, 63, 65, 85 and 87.

BC Ferries and Victoria International Airport are also expecting to resume regular service, with some delays likely.

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Almost all flights at Victoria International Airport were canceled as of Friday morning and travelers are urged to monitor the YYJ website closely for updates.

Some of the later flights are listed as delayed or on schedule.

It’s unclear what the airlines will do for the rest of the day, said Rod Hunchack, director of business development and community relations. “They make the decision based on conditions and crew availability and things like that, so I’m guessing it’s going to be similar tonight.

“As everyone knows, everything depends on the weather, and in the next few days, who knows? »

He said the airport’s main runway is still open and “more than capable” of handling any traffic.

The other two tracks will remain closed.

In British Columbia, departures on mainlines resumed at 11 a.m. after the first round of morning departures was canceled, spokeswoman Deborah Marshall said.

The first two tours of the day on secondary roads have been cancelled.

Marshall said some employees had trouble getting to the stations, causing problems for the crew. In response, BC Ferries focused on ensuring regular odd-hour crossings for routes such as Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen with a full crew, rather than planning additional crossings.

“What we’re doing is making sure the first few sails go, so it’s going to be odd hours. »

BC Ferries said it received a high volume of phone calls on Friday and waited two hours or more to speak to its agents and that all customer reservations for canceled cruises have been refunded.

“If you are not planning to travel within the next 72 hours, please contact us at another time so we can better assist customers with their journey sooner,” BC Ferries said in a statement.

BC Transit said in a 2pm update it was offering service on 18 of its 57 routes. The buses do not run according to a fixed timetable.

Test bctransit.com for more updates.

Saanich Police said the road to Pat Bay was “mostly clear with some patches of snow” by midday and officers were on their way to the first road accident of the day – a minor collision at the Royal Oak Viaduct.

According to the police, side streets were still covered with snow.

A section of Interstate 4 was closed Friday due to downed power lines between the Tofino-Ucluelet Freeway and the Taylor River Rest Area and a fallen tree. The road was reopened Friday afternoon.

Nanaimo, Tofino, and Uclulelite all experienced power outages, as did an area south of Port Renfrew.

As of midday, there have been four blackouts affecting over 5,043 people in the North Island and one blackout affecting over 430 people in the South Island.

DriveBC said Interstate 14 between Port of Renfrew and the Jordan River is open to single-lane traffic on curves in the Cerantes Road and Jordan River Recreation Site area after a fallen tree closed it Thursday. Motorists have been warned to watch out for debris on the road.

Island Health said Friday it would consolidate emergency and primary care center services at its Victoria and West Shore UPCC locations on Christmas Day to reduce the risk of a last-minute closure due to weather concerns or employees.

Both are open from 8am to 8pm on Christmas Day, while the James Bay, North Quadra and Esquimalt CUPs are closed on Christmas Day and reopen to their normal hours of 8am to 8pm the day after Christmas.

The Gorge Road site, which is not regularly open on Sundays, is also open from 8am to 8pm on Boxing Day.

The Salvation Army said on Friday that donations for holiday kettles fell by 50% after groups were canceled for three days due to weather conditions during the busy holiday season.

Sibele Mulea, director of community relations at The Salvation Army of British Columbia, asked people to donate online at armyusalut.ca/givehopevictoria. ”

Canada Post issued a notice on Friday saying delivery service alerts are in place for almost all areas of the country.

“While recovery efforts are underway to ensure December 24 deliveries if needed, depending on weather and road conditions, these efforts will end as we prioritize the safety of our employees,” the alert said, adding that the regular Deliveries will resume on Wednesday. .

People are asked to keep sidewalks and driveways around their homes free of snow and ice, and to spread sand and salt.

The University of Victoria, Royal Roads University and Camuson College are closed on the Friday before the regular bank holiday closures.

Rain is expected on Saturday and Sunday with highs of 9°C, followed by rain and highs of 8°C on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

jbell@timecolonist.com