The Port of Vancouver says Canada Place saw almost a 20 per cent increase in passenger and cruise ship visits during its record-setting 2026 cruise season.
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The Port of Vancouver announced Friday that 2026 has been a record-setting cruise ship season, with about 1.4 million passengers visiting the Canada Place terminal between February and October.
The Port reported that passenger traffic and cruise ship visits at Canada Place increased by nearly 20 per cent, with 358 cruise ships arriving in port over that Feb–Oct period.
According to the Port, its latest Cruise Passenger Survey found travellers coming to Vancouver to catch a cruise are spending additional time in the city before and after their sailings. The survey said 76 per cent of cruise passengers spend time in Vancouver before or after their cruise, up 6 per cent from the 2023 survey responses.
While in Vancouver, the Port said cruise ship passengers put an average of $1,144 into the local economy through spending on hotels, restaurants, shopping, tours and local attractions. It also said passengers spend an average of 1.4 nights in Vancouver before or after their cruise, while passengers from outside North America stay an average of 2.6 nights.
The Port said the record number of passengers for 2026 is an 18 per cent increase over 2025, and that the number of ships is up 19 per cent compared with 2025.
The Port added that an average of $3 million is brought to the local economy each time a cruise ship docks at Canada Place.
Ahead of next year’s cruise ship season, the Port said shore power capacity at Canada Place is set to expand, allowing more cruise ships to plug into British Columbia’s low-carbon electrical grid while docked. It is expected to prevent 3,300 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each cruise season, which the Port said is equivalent to removing 770 gas-powered cars from the streets each year.
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