Capital City Station, the downtown bus terminal operated by the Wilson’s Group of Companies, will close at the end of the month as changing travel patterns and reduced demand make the facility no longer viable.
Wilson’s announced the station will cease operations effective February 28th, nearly a decade after it opened in May 2016 as a central hub for inter-city and tourism bus services in Victoria.
Located on Douglas Street, Capital City Station has served both residents and visitors travelling to and from the capital by bus.
Over the years, the terminal was used by operators including Greyhound Canada, Tofino Bus Lines, BC Ferries Connector, Gray Line Sightseeing Victoria, the YYJ Airport Shuttle, and other regional and tourism-focused services.
The company said the decision to close was driven by declining use of the facility and rising operating costs. Several services that once relied on the terminal have either ceased operations or shifted to alternative models.
Greyhound Canada exited the Canadian market entirely, while the YYJ Airport Shuttle did not return following the COVID-19 pandemic. Other operators have increasingly moved toward curb-side loading to reduce overhead.
Today, only a small number of services continue to operate from Capital City Station, most notably the BC Ferries Connector service between Victoria and Vancouver.
“As a result, the operating costs of Capital City Station no longer align with the demand for its services,” Wilson’s said in a statement.
Wilson’s Group Chief Operating Officer Travis Wilson said the company plans to transition the BC Ferries Connector to a curb-side pickup model, a move he noted is becoming more common among scheduled transportation providers facing higher costs.
“Our plan is to move to a more modern, curb-side model for our BC Ferries Connector service,” Wilson said.
Wilson’s has worked with the City of Victoria to retain the on-street parking stalls in front of the station so the BC Ferries Connector can continue operating within the downtown core after the terminal closes.
Under the new model, tickets will be available directly through drivers, online, and through industry partners such as Destination Greater Victoria’s Visitor Centre and local hotels.
“Our company spearheaded the opening of Capital City Station, and we’ve worked diligently as its owner to keep it operating over the years,” Wilson said.
“While it is unfortunate this decision had to be made, we are confident our customers will continue to receive the same level of service through alternative avenues.”
A shifting history of downtown bus depots
Capital City Station itself was created to fill a gap left by the closure of Victoria’s previous downtown bus depot, which was located behind the Fairmont Empress Hotel near Douglas and Belleville streets.
That long-standing terminal shut down in 2016 as the site moved toward redevelopment, leaving inter-city bus operators without a centralized downtown facility.
The opening of Capital City Station later that year restored a dedicated bus terminal to the downtown core, albeit on a smaller scale.
Its closure now signals another shift in how inter-city bus travel is handled in Victoria, with operators increasingly favouring curb-side stops rather than enclosed depots.
BC Transit services within the region will continue to operate as usual from on-street stops throughout downtown, and Wilson’s says the BC Ferries Connector will remain accessible to travellers despite the loss of the terminal building.
