WOOD ISLANDS - Federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea says the planned review of the Northumberland Ferries service in 2010 is not the death knell for the only boat crossing from P.E.I. to the mainland.
"My information is that it's a regular process every five years or so to review the contract," said the minister in a phone message Monday.
"There is no basis for speculation that there would be any changes."
On Saturday, Cardigan MP Lawrence MacAulay raised concerns that cuts to the ferry service could be part of that process and said it's happened before. There were attempts five years ago to reduce the service and even suggestions that it be nothing but a summer tour boat instead of a transportation link that operates from May 1 to Dec. 20.
Northumberland Ferries Ltd. is operating on a five-year subsidization package of roughly $5 million per year and that contract expires in the spring. Transport Canada has approved a one-year extension while a review is carried out.
"We do not expect any material changes in service for this upcoming season," said Mark MacDonald, president of the NFL service, in an email to The Guardian.
"Operating plans are now being finalized and will be discussed with Transport Canada in the weeks ahead."
Shea, who couldn't be reached Friday, said any concern over the closure of the ferry service that has operated for the past 70 years is false.
"Every few years Lawrence lines up everyone in eastern P.E.I. over this issue," she said. "At this point it's simply a regular review of the operations."
Shea says review not death knell for ferry service
- Published on December 22nd, 2009
- Published on June 16th, 2010
-
Staff ~ Farm Focus
- Number of views : 675
- Rate
- Top of the page
Comments
-
- Andy
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:39:48
Quiet Observer... I travel quite frequently to Cape Breton. If you are travelling from anyplace in PEI from Charlottetown east, going to a location in Nova Scotia anywhere east or south of Truro, you save 100 km of driving by taking the ferry.
Assuming you are a law abiding citizen of this fine country and travel the speed limit, if you coincide your departure from Charlottetown to arrive in Wood Islands within 20 minutes of the ferry departure time, you will certainly save time.
Otherwise, please post your license plate and drivers license master number here for the RCMP and your insurance company, not to mention the local morgues between PEI and Cape Breton. -
- Michelle
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:39:01
Gail Shea is just showing how up west she is. In her eyes protecting the bridge up there and getting all the traffic up there is only in her little mind. What about the tourism down east? The shorter drive to Halifax? and what about the truckers who actually get some sleep because of the ferry! What a twit!
-
- Peter
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:37:02
For those looking for some facts; here goes!
Approx 160 employees at NFL at peak season.
Approx 70% are Islanders
The 5 million subsidy is used to pay those employees and is put back into both the Island and Pictou economies.
If driving from Ch'town to Halifax; the distance is basically the same; 250kms(GPS figure). If you time it to catch the ferry; there is no waiting time; especially if you use a NOW Pass reservation at a nominal fee!
If driving from anywhere east of Ch'town to Cape Breton the savings are in favour of the ferry. With bridge fees and gas and time; its more sensible to take the ferry!
Plus you will likely meet someone aboard that you haven't seen in awhile(bonus).
The bridge gets a huge subsidy on a yearly basis(40 million plus) and more traffic besides. There is no question they are profitting! To say that we should close the ferry down and give the bridge the 5 million subsidy that NFL gets is ludicrous!
As for the cancellations; you people have a very short memory. Just a week or two ago the bridge was closed to trucks and high sided vehicles for 54 hours or something. During this time the winds were clocked at 90 - 130 km per hour on it. Needless to say, the ferries were also shut down and I don't know too many that would have wished to be aboard a ship in those conditions in Northumberland Strait. The ferries run when it is safe to do so; and they make every attempt to sail when they can. Their passenger safety record speaks for itself.
Hopefully this federal government sees the benefits of the service and continues to subsidize this important link to the Eastern portion of PEI and NS. Its closed for the season now, however, many people look forward to May 1st when the season opens again! Merry Christmas to All -
- wondering about it
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:34:11
The fact of the matter is that the death knell for the ferry sounded when the Liberal Government of the day traded away the constitutional guarantee of an adjunct link to the mainland to smooth the way for the bridge. Not the guarantee from Borden, but a separate one for Wood Islands - Caribou.
They didn't have to do it and I heard rumblings one of the best constitutional experts the Island ever produced had written an opinion for Northumberland Ferries prior to the bridge ever being discussed pointing out that the adjunct agreement was a separate guarantee.
Lawrence MacAulay had to be aware of it, if he wasn't, he should have been because it was pointed out to his staff.
And the MLA,s from the eastern end certainly were but they all caved in. It was pressure politics at its worst, drop the guarantee at both ends or the bridge might not go ahead unless it was.
I seem to recall Jack MacAndrew might have written something on the subject.
If that legal opinion was correct you can forget about the nonsense about anyone being any kind of a saviour all there was were executioners.
If Northumberland Ferries looks through their archives from the late 70's, early 80's they may find a legal opinion that points out the guarantee at Wood Islands didn't have to be dropped.
I never read it myself but was told essentially thats what it said and after looking at the constitutional guarantees I could certainly see the reasoning for coming to that conclusion.
Look up a copy of the full constitutional guarantee and the adjunct agreement and form your own opinion. -
- Not too fine a point
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:28:44
Looks like one man's 'death knell' is another's 'ferry service.'
-
- just a thought
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:22:23
Take the 5 million a year and put that towards the cost of the bridge....
-
- downeast
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:17:13
I wonder if all these comments are from Up West area? Because if i remember correctly when your boat was in danger did u want it to close NO! So mind your business. Those that live down here (East) it's fast to get to Halifax and shorter drive. Keep your bridge. I'd rather the boat any day! But if the price for the bridge went up .. hmmm I wonder if you would all complain as much? Then again, If there was more traffic ya would be complaining.
-
- Barock
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:00:48
Yes and Lawrence has every right to make noise here. As in the past he has saved this service and seems he will have to do the same again.What good ever comes out of afederal review!Cut backs and reduced services. The ferry gets a 5 million a yr subsidy and generates over 14 million in taxes so is it not worth spending 5 million to make 14 million.Why would any government want to take that kind of return away. One more thing. As for those people who growl about the ferry costing more than the bridge, not hard to figure that out. The bridge gets 41 million a yr subsidy and the ferry gets 5 million.Do the math!Come on Gail Shea lets see what kind of power you have in Ottawa and see if you can produce the way Lawrence has in the past. This is more here Gail than a bunch of work being done on a race track so I urge you to get on side and fight not to let the link to Eastern PEI die.
-
- Garth
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:55:11
MacAulay up to his Liberal divisive self. Spread rumour, upset people, blame others.
Crying wolf too often may lead to political headwinds! -
- good to hear
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:51:25
I'm relieved to hear this news from Mininster Shea.
Knowing that this is merely a regular review, I look forward to Fisheries Minister Shea and Defence Minister MacKay announcing on behalf of Transport Minister Baird a 5-year renewal of a 2-vessel May-December service for NFL between PEI and Pictou County beginning with the 2010 season.
Glad to know that this is not an issue we have to worry about. -
- just a thought...?
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:46:45
$5 million a year...? Going to be saving up for that bridge for a while!
-
- Quiet
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:42:39
When the announcement is made to extend the ferry service subsidy foir another 5 years, it will have nothing to do with Lawrence, even trhough he will take credit for it.
Personnally, living here in Charlottetown, what matters to me is the jobs for ferry workers down east. I still find it quicker, even going to Cape Breton, to take the bridge. But I know many do enjoy the ferry crossing and many jobs are at stake here.
I am sure that when the feds take a look at it, they will continue the 5 million/year subsidy.
Besides, if they don't they will have no chance at defeating Lawrence in the next Federal election. -
- Holee Subsidy
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:40:20
There is quite a difference in the subsidies being paid for the bridge and the ferries. Just a simple question, but does anyone know how many jobs Islanders have at the bridge and how many jobs Islanders have at the ferries? Also, why is the subsidy so high at the bridge when it is profitable?
If The Cat leaves in Yarmouth, there is national tv coverage on the devastation for the town. If NFL stops operating in PEI...well, it is just down east, who cares attitude doesn't say much about the community of Islanders who say they look after one another.
Personally, I LOVE the ferry ride in the summer and find it the fastest and easiest way to get to Cape Breton. Besides, don't we all meet the most interesting characters on the ferry?
Keep it open please. -
- old&older
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:39:26
this talk about the ferry operation should be quite simple just close it down now that we have the fixed link . we never had one in west prince that would have made the time faster for any one heading west or to the states where as the one in kings county only speed things up to n.s. or n.f.l. .
