Pictou mayor, businesses call for more reliable ferry service to P.E.I.

Business owners in Pictou, N.S., are joining the mayor in calling for a more dependable ferry service after news the route to P.E.I. that was already suspended may not return until December.

The town, near the ferry terminal in Caribou, benefits from traffic moving between the two provinces with many people choosing to stop along the way to visit local restaurants and stores.

But that appears to have slowed after both ferries on the route went out of service last month.

MV Saaremaa stopped operating due to engine trouble on Sept. 22. MV Confederation was already undergoing repairs after colliding with a dock the week before.

"Because of the ferry, we received a lot of cancellations," said Linda Qian, the owner of Braeside Country Inn.

The hotel is close to the ferry terminal in Caribou. Tourists often stay there before heading to P.E.I., she said.

However, some who had booked decided to change their plans after hearing the ferry is not running.

• MV Saaremaa out of commission for season, officials say

"We even cannot charge at all because that's not the guest's fault," she said.

After interruptions to the route last year, she thinks it is time for vessels that require less maintenance.

That's also what Vivianne LaRivière wants to see. She said business at her River Gallery on Water Street has declined since the ferries stopped.

"The difference right now is in the thousands," she said of her business that sells art and gifts. "I would say business is probably down 30 to 40 per cent and dipping maybe even lower."

The timing is tough, said LaRivière. She said many people who have more time to travel often visit the area in the fall.

Pictou mayor looks to next year

She said she asked her insurance company about a possible claim for lost revenue but didn't get the answer she wanted.

"If there was a fire or whatever, I could put in a claim for disruption of business but I can't for this and yet it is disrupting business."

Pictou Mayor Jim Ryan said the current issue is frustrating, but his main concern now is next season.

"I would hope that there's someone behind the scene that's doing something to make sure that we have a reliable service," he said.

Northumberland Ferries said it appreciates the route is a critical connection.

'I certainly sense the pain'

"I certainly sense the pain," said Northumberland Ferries general manager Jeff Joyce, adding everything possible is being done to restore service.

He said crews are working 24/7 to weld the damaged bow visor of the MV Confederation.

The company has set Dec. 9 as a target to get the Confederation back into service, but it could be sooner, he said.

The company has also applied to transport regulators to run without the visor after doing safety research.

Joyce said he is confident the service will be consistent in 2025 with a recently acquired Norwegian ferry expected to be in operation by next May, along with the Confederation.

The MV Fanafjord that was bought by the federal government for $38.6 million is in sea trials, Joyce said,

"We have to do everything reasonable to do our very best to start rebuilding the trust that we've lost this season with the travelling public," Joyce said.

A new ferry is also being designed and built. It is not expected to enter service until 2028.