‘Significant’ damage to B.C. island community’s only bridge scraps reopening schedule

DELTA — A bridge that provides the only road access to a Metro Vancouver island community has suffered more significant damage than originally thought after the span was hit by a tugboat, and a precautionary boil-water advisory has also been issued.

Transit authority TransLink says the original plan to have the Westham Island Bridge repaired within several weeks “is no longer possible.”

TransLink says crews will carry out additional surveys and assessments on the wood-deck single-lane truss bridge, but no timeline on reopening to vehicle traffic has been announced.

The City of Delta says in a statement that after the vessel strike on Tuesday afternoon, a leak was discovered in the water main that runs in the Fraser River underneath the bridge.

The city issued a precautionary boil-water advisory for Westham Island on Friday while officials conduct water sampling and assessments of the water system, but the statement says there is no confirmed contamination in the water supply.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says it’s investigating the crash from Coquitlam, where the tug named Quadrant Partner and its owner are located.

The Westham Island Bridge, which opened in 1909, has only been open to pedestrians since the crash, which splintered timbers on a structure below the bridgeway, according to photos on social media.

Shuttle services on the other side are being provided, and the City of Delta said emergency services to the island have been limited by the closure.

“We know residents and businesses need certainty, and we don’t want to provide a timeline until we can stand behind it,” TransLink said of the repair process. “Safety will continue to guide every decision as we move forward.”

The City of Delta said bottled water was being arranged to be delivered to Westham Island for residents.

It advised residents to use only boiled or bottled water for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing ready-to-eat foods, washing dishes, or making infant formula.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2026.