Delays in Labrador ferry service mean 'communities are really suffering,' says MHA
Ferry delay worsening issues in Northen Labrador communities, supplies running low after grocery fire
Lela Evans, who represents the northern district of Torngat Mountains in the House of Assembly, is calling for action because a ferry that ought to be serving remote coastal communities in Labrador is still in St. John's.
The Kamutik W, which provides an essential ferry service connecting Labrador's north coast with the rest of the province, has not started running for the season.
Service — which includes freight and passenger transport — was planned to begin on June 10 but the ferry has been docked in St. John's harbour.
With supplies running low, Evans said in an interview that "communities are really suffering" and are facing food insecurity.
"This week delay that they've imposed on us because of lack of planning on their part, that or it was intentional, it really is negligence," Evans said.
"We're not talking about luxury, we're not talking about convenience, we're talking about our lives."
Food insecurity is perennial concern in coastal communities, and especially lately in Makkovik. Frank's, the community's main grocery store, was critically damaged in an electrical fire on June 3.
Frank's not only stocked food, but things like building supplies and dog food. Existing products are covered in soot.
"We're not sure if any of that is salvageable," Barry Andersen, Makkovik's angajukKâk, or mayor, said last week.
The smaller A&K variety store is attempting to stock a larger quantity and variety of products but is working with limited space. "We have to give them credit, they are stepping up," Andersen said.
Without the ferry, A&K is relying on shipment of supplies by air because Makkovik is not accessible by road.
A lack of ice and mild weather this spring could have allowed for ferry crossings earlier than the originally planned start date.
Evans and Andersen both said there was an opportunity to begin the ferry service earlier than scheduled.
"We had the earliest spring that we can remember, so in actual fact not only could we have started on June 10, but we would have started a lot earlier and alleviated a lot of strain on the communities," Evans said.
"The people of northern Labrador really feel neglected and they really feel like the government doesn't care," she said. "There's been so many instances in the past where the government could have helped us with our services and they intentionally did not."
'There's only so much one can do'
Transportation Minister John Abbott told CBC Radio's Labrador Morning earlier this month that a fire on the MV Flanders on May 9 and repairs to three vessels have contributed to delays in Labrador's service.
Abbott cited the fire on the MV Flanders ferry on May 9th and three vessels being on dry dock as reasons for the delay.
"We only have so many vessels," he said. "There's only so much one can do in that circumstance, and that's the choices we had to make here which resulted in the delay of the Labrador north service."
He added that all decisions were made in consultation with Labrador Marine.
When asked about regional priorities, Abbott said northern Labrador is important, but so is Fogo Island and Bell Island, which both rely on ferries.
"We could have started earlier but we were hampered by operational needs based on the island," he said.
The Kamutik W is expected to depart Happy Valley-Goose Bay on June 16 for ports to Nain.
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With files from Labrador Morning, On the Go and Here and Now
