How ferries work in Canada
Canada has no national ferry timetable. Each crossing is published by whoever runs it, and on the coasts and the Great Lakes that is a different body almost every time.
On the west coast most island crossings belong to BC Ferries, which publishes a schedule per route and per season, with exact start and end dates. In Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador the shorter crossings are run by the provincial transportation department, and a few by a township. Each of them posts its schedule, fares and service notices in its own place and its own format, which is why a page per crossing that brings the three together is useful.
Fares are not built the same way everywhere. The provincial crossings in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on this site are free. BC Ferries charges a fare that covers the return trip, adds a fuel surcharge at payment and prices vehicles by length, and Newfoundland and Labrador and some townships set their own rates. Each page lists what the operator publishes and when it took effect.
Time zones matter. Canada spans six of them, and Newfoundland keeps its own clock half an hour ahead of the Maritimes. Every schedule on this site is shown in the time zone of the departure terminal, labelled with the zone in force on the day you read it, so daylight saving time is handled rather than assumed.
Seasons are the other trap. BC Ferries publishes every schedule with exact start and end dates, and some routes change pattern part-way through the year; provincial crossings add or remove a second boat with the season. Where a new schedule is already published, the page switches to it on its start date; where it is not, the page says so.