victoria bc travel advisory

Current Road Advisories and Information

This page provides additional information during significant events impacting travel on BC highways.

• Check DriveBC , your best source of current road information
• Check EmergencyInfoBC for information about provincial emergencies
• Check News Releases for Travel Advisories

Although less impactful now, wildfires continue to occur in parts of B.C., potentially impacting driving conditions.  As British Columbia progresses into fall and winter, further hazards may emerge, particularly rain and flood related.

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South Okanagan – Summerland Rockslide

This section of highway was closed Aug. 28, 2023 because of a rockslide when approximately 3,000 cubic metres of material came down.

Highway 97 is generally OPEN to two lanes of traffic, one in each direction, subject to short scheduled and unscheduled  closures.

As part of the plan to expedite the work, intermittent 20-minute closures will continue during non-peak hours (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.), to support additional smaller blast events as needed.

Blasting will make short closures necessary . Closures for blasting can be expected regularly. The schedule is contingent on ground conditions which are revealed by previous blasts, and each blast requires varying degrees of preparation, so blasts may not occur on the same day each week. The public will be notified as early as possible prior to each blast through  DriveBC.ca

Oversize Loads

Daily traffic control on site. Typical travel delays observed are 2-3 minutes or less. Oversize loads are permitted through the site. These loads must be prescheduled prior to arrival with traffic control personnel on site.

Find further information on the Summerland Rockslide project page .

Check for current highway condition and event information:  DriveBC

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Travel advice and advisories by destination

COVID-19: travel health notice for all travellers

The Government of Canada’s official source of travel information and advice, the Travel Advice and Advisories help you to make informed decisions and travel safely while you are outside Canada. Check the page for your destination often, because safety and security conditions may change. See Travel Advice and Advisories – FAQ for more information.

Where are you going?

Take normal security precautions

Exercise a high degree of caution

Avoid non-essential travel

Avoid all travel

Travel advice from other countries

Travel advice is also provided by the governments of Australia , New Zealand , the United Kingdom and the United States .

Risk Levels

  take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

  Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

  Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

  Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

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On July 1, 2021, the Province moved to Step 3 of its Restart Plan. Visit the Government of BC’s Restart page for more information, including guidelines and advice.

For full BC travel restrictions and precautions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit the Government of BC’s Provincial and Regional Restrictions  and Travel Affected by COVID-19 pages.

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Latest border and travel measures

This news release may not reflect the current border and travel measures. Check COVID-19: Travel, testing and borders for the latest requirements to enter Canada.

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Note that information and resources on the coronavirus (COVID-19) are available on Canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html

Travel Advisory: Limited exceptions to border measures in British Columbia

From: Canada Border Services Agency

News release

The Canada Border Services Agency would like to remind travellers that border measures remain in place for travellers entering or returning to Canada and that they should get informed and understand their obligations as they make their travel plans.

December 22, 2021             Vancouver, British Columbia           Canada Border Services Agency

As of December 21, unless specifically exempted, all travellers must take a pre-entry COVID-19 molecular test before arriving in Canada, regardless of how long they were away .

• Tests taken in-Canada will no longer be accepted. In other words, the pre-entry test must be performed in a country other than Canada within 72 hours of arrival at the land border or within 72 hours of a scheduled flight departure.
• Travellers must either have a negative pre-entry COVID-19 molecular test result taken no more than 72 hours before arriving in Canada or a previous positive test result taken between 14 and 180 days before departure to Canada.
• Antigen tests, often called “rapid tests” are not accepted.

The Government of Canada continues to advise all Canadians to  avoid non-essential travel  outside of Canada at this time. Now is not the time to travel.

In British Columbia:

Given the ongoing situation in British Columbia, certain fully vaccinated B.C. residents will not have to take a pre-entry COVID-19 molecular test before coming back to Canada. This refers to residents:

• who must travel to the U.S. by land to access or purchase goods or services, and
• who are absent from Canada for no more than 24 hours.

The exemption also applies to unvaccinated children under 12 years of age entering with one of their fully vaccinated parents, step-parents, guardians or tutors and a person with a contraindication to vaccination.

Travellers should ensure they are only within the U.S. for the required period to access or purchase goods and services and return to Canada as soon as possible, without any unnecessary stops. Those who attend social visits, events or functions would therefore not be exempt from the pre-arrival testing requirement. Travellers should also continue to follow all local, provincial/territorial and public health guidance including masking in public, and maintaining social distancing.

All travellers must continue to submit their mandatory information in ArriveCAN .

Those who cross the border to ensure that essential services and economic supply chains continue, including truck drivers, remain exempted from the pre-entry test, quarantine and in-Canada test, but must continue to submit their mandatory information in ArriveCAN before arriving in Canada.

The Government of Canada understands the significant damage and upheaval that has been caused by the flooding situation in B.C. Should a border services officer determine that the traveller entered the U.S. and does not meet the exemption requirements upon their return to Canada, travellers will be referred to Public Health Agency of Canada officials who will assess next steps and determine the appropriate public health measures the traveller must follow.

Travellers should check if they are  eligible to enter Canada  and meet all  entry requirements  before heading to the border.

Related products

• Government of Canada announces additional measures to contain the spread of the Omicron variant

Associated links

• Government of Canada - Travel Advice and Advisories
• Find out if you can enter Canada - Travel restrictions in Canada
• Fully vaccinated travellers entering Canada during COVID-19

Media Relations Canada Border Services Agency [email protected] 1-877-761-5945

Twitter @CanBorderPAC .

Page details

Travel risky across B.C. as snow, freezing rain hamper major routes

Thousands were without power early friday, fraser valley and vancouver island schools closed again.

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Weather warnings remained in place across British Columbia Friday as a mix of snow and freezing rain in some areas made commutes difficult, despite warming temperatures in many regions.

DriveBC posted a range of travel advisories  for Highway 1 through the Fraser Valley, warning that "rapidly deteriorating road conditions and short notice closures" could come into place due to snow and freezing rain in the area, stretching all the way from Langley to Hope and Lytton.

The agency said driving in the corridor is "not recommended unless necessary."

Josh Smythe, a spokesperson for the B.C. Automobile Association (BCAA), urged drivers to use winter tires.

"The freezing rain is going to create black ice that we're not going to be able to see, because it's going to be underneath the surface of the remaining snow," Smythe told CBC News Friday. "In these conditions ... what better traction you get with the proper tires is what's going to keep you on the road."

On Vancouver Island, the province's  Ministry of Transportation warned  that up to 20 centimetres of snow could fall on the Malahat Highway through Friday morning, and asked commuters to avoid unnecessary travel in coastal B.C.

• IN PHOTOS | Winter wonders here and abroad

By Friday afternoon, some of the freezing rain warnings for the Fraser Valley had been lifted, such as those for Abbotsford, but those further east remained in place.

As of 4 p.m., B.C. Hydro had restored electricity to all but roughly 800 out of the 20,000 customers who were without power earlier in the day. 

The majority of the remaining outages were on northern Vancouver Island, where nearly 550 customers were affected, as well as more than 100 in North Vancouver.

Snowfall and freezing rain warnings were also in place for Prince George and the Central Interior, as well as the North and Central Coast, with amounts of up to 15 centimetres expected.

Despite the threat of freezing rain for parts of the province, the weather outlook was much improved by Friday afternoon compared to a week ago.

Freezing rain warnings from Environment Canada for areas of the Fraser Canyon, Coquihalla Highway and Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton said snow will transition to freezing rain sometime Friday afternoon.

• Warnings issued after snow clearing equipment involved in 2 highway incidents in B.C. Interior
• Suing over snow removal? Here's what the courts have said about who's responsible

"For Highway 3 and Manning-Skagit Valley there will be a risk of freezing rain Friday afternoon with more continuous freezing rain expected overnight Friday," reads the warning.

DriveBC said several major Interior routes will be closed to conduct avalanche control work Friday evening, impacting Highway 3 between Salmo and Creston starting at around 4 p.m., and Highway 1 between Revelstoke and Golden at around 11 p.m. .

The province said in a Thursday statement that "freezing rain is one of the most difficult weather conditions to effectively manage, and bridges and roads may be closed to traffic in the interest of public safety."

Environment Canada warns that roads and walkways may become slippery or icy due to the prolonged winter conditions, with up to 30 centimetres of snow having fallen in the Lower Mainland overnight on Wednesday.

Temperatures in the province have rebounded from the deep freeze earlier this month that saw daily record lows in several communities.

The cold snap was followed by a dump of snow that resulted in Vancouver's snowiest day in almost three decades on Wednesday with 28 centimetres recorded, cancelling flights and disrupting everything from mail service to transit.

Avalanche Canada said Friday that backcountry users in southwestern British Columbia should exercise extreme caution as recent snowfall, freezing rain and wind has created "very dangerous" conditions in the mountains along the South Coast and on Vancouver Island.

• Avalanche Canada says conditions 'very dangerous' in southwestern B.C.

Schools across the Fraser Valley, from Langley and Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows through Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack and Fraser-Cascade, cancelled classes for a third straight day. On Vancouver Island, the Comox Valley and Campbell River school districts also cancelled classes.

All other school districts in the Lower Mainland reopened classes Friday after two consecutive snow days.

- With files from The Canadian Press

Related Stories

• Top stories from British Columbia
• Vancouver park rangers thwart attempts to build tiny homes at homeless encampment
• Metro Vancouver bus workers' union threatens 48-hour stoppage if wage demands not met
• 4 child deaths in B.C. linked to aggressive form of strep

Weather/Driving Conditions around Victoria, BC

For information on weather & driving conditions in and around Victoria

Island weather:.

Environment Canada – click HERE for Victoria.  For other cities, click on the link ‘access city’ on their website.

Marine Weather:

Environment Canada – click HERE for forecasts around Vancouver Island.

Road Conditions:

Click HERE for road conditions around Vancouver Island, including web cams

Ferry Sailings/Cancellations/Delays:

Click HERE for information from BC Ferries

Airport Arrival & Departure information: 

Click HERE for Victoria Int’l Airport flight information

Ski Conditions:

Click HERE for Mt. Washington Ski conditions including web cams

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Given the current wildfire situation in B.C., which is expected to worsen over the weekend, the Province is asking people to not travel to parts of the Interior region until further notice.

This includes the communities of Armstrong, Spallumcheen, Okanagan Indian Band, Enderby, and parts of the Regional District North Okanagan.

A map of areas affected by this is available here: www.EmergencyInfoBC.ca

Increased fire activity in the area is forecasted over the weekend, including significant winds that may move fires quickly due to the nature of the terrain. The next 72 hours will be critical, and the Province is preparing for more evacuation orders and alerts.

“We’re taking this proactive step because we want to ensure people in these communities are able to evacuate if necessary, access the supports they need, as well as the safety of our firefighters on the ground,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “While we are acting out of an abundance of caution, this situation is very serious and could get worse quickly. If you were planning to travel to the area, now is not the time to do so.”

There are multiple fires threatening communities in the region and thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes, many requiring commercial accommodation. Communities in the region are also extremely smoky and hot, with above seasonal temperatures.

Interior Health has also advised that non-essential travel to and from the Central Okanagan should be avoided due to the current COVID-19 outbreak.

For those who live in the region, government is not asking you to leave. Be ready to go if you’re under an evacuation alert. For evacuation orders, leave immediately.

Learn More:

To view the areas under threat that are not open for travellers, see this map: https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/travel-warning-interior-region-of-bc

Supports available:

• To help people and communities manage and recover from the impacts of wildfires, the Province has assembled a list of the key resources people may need. Click on “recovery and support resources” at:  www.EmergencyInfoBC.ca
• To register for Emergency Support Services:  https://ess.gov.bc.ca/ Or call toll-free: 1 800 585-9559 
• For information and resources for farms/livestock producers, including the livestock relocation program:  https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/business-market-development/emergency-management  
• For information on BC Hydro bill help for British Columbians who are evacuated:  https://app.bchydro.com/accounts-billing/evacuee-help.html?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=redirect&utm_content=evacueehelp  
• For information on how to report a claim related to wildfire damage through ICBC:  https://www.icbc.com/claims/report-view/Pages/Report-a-claim-online.aspx   Or by phone (toll-free): 1 800 910-4222. 
• If you have health concerns due to smoky air, extreme heat and the stress of being evacuated or on alert, dial 811 to contact HealthLink BC.
• Individual and family recovery programs: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/emergency-response-and-recovery/recovery-programs#individual
• First Nations support: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/emergency-response-and-recovery/recovery-programs#nation
• Business and agriculture recovery programs: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/emergency-response-and-recovery/recovery-programs#business
• Indirect business support: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/emergency-response-and-recovery/recovery-programs#indirect
• Resources for community recovery managers: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/emergency-response-and-recovery/recovery-programs#community
• For information about private home insurance and other private insurance claims related to wildfire:  http://www.ibc.ca/qc/disaster/bcwildfire  
• For up-to-date information on wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, call 1 888 3-FOREST (1 888 336-7378) Or visit:  http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status

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The B.C. Public Service acknowledges the territories of First Nations around B.C. and is grateful to carry out our work on these lands. We acknowledge the rights, interests, priorities, and concerns of all Indigenous Peoples - First Nations, Métis, and Inuit - respecting and acknowledging their distinct cultures, histories, rights, laws, and governments.

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