Free our boats, Kingston cruise operators urge federal government

Cruise boat operators in Kingston, Ont., say they're desperately seeking to free vessels marooned on the wrong side of the LaSalle Causeway as the damaged bridge remains closed and the beginning of the busy marine season nears.

With time running out, the companies have proposed opening up another section of the span or hoisting their ships over it.

The unexpected and total shutdown of the causeway has left the Canadian Empress, Island Belle and Island Star all high and dry — blocked from the St. Lawrence River and the wharf where they pick up passengers.

They're trapped, said Eric Ferguson, general manager for Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises, which operates the Island Belle and the Island Star.

"May is very busy in Kingston," he said. "Mother's Day weekend is on the way. The Victoria Day weekend is on the way. We would expect to see thousands of passengers. It is not an option to leave those vessels in the Inner Harbour."

No timeline for repairs

The causeway opened more than a century ago and is a key crossing between downtown Kingston and the city's eastern suburbs. Part of it is a Bascule bridge, which uses a counterweight to let boats through.

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) said crews were carrying out scheduled repair work on March 30 when a steel truss supporting that counterweight was damaged.

The bridge has been closed to all users ever since.

In an update on April 12, PSPC announced the bridge would remain closed for "several weeks." While it's working to open it as soon as possible, it has said the problem would not be fixed in time for the beginning of the marine season on May 1.

That's left dozens of recreational and personal crafts stranded in the Inner Harbour, just a short distance away, along with several cruise boats undergoing maintenance there during the off-season.

Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises and St. Lawrence Cruise Lines said the impact of a closure this spring could result in more than a million dollars in lost tourism and economic revenues.

Cruise tickets range from around $40 to $140, depending on the type of excursion. The prices swell upwards of $2,000 for overnight trips, according to prices listed on the cruise companies' websites.

PSPC says 1-time opening not possible

While the priority is getting the bridge open to regular traffic, the companies said they want a solution to their problem.

They say their preferred solution for retrieving their boats would be to have several temporary lifts of the bridge, either using its own mechanism or a crane.

In a statement, a PSPC spokesperson said they're aware the closure has "impacts on marine-based businesses."

However, "a one-time opening of the causeway to allow cruise ships through is not feasible," because the damage to the span prevents it from lifting, their statement said.

Over, under or through

Still, the cruise operators say they're determined to see their vessels somehow get through, under or over the causeway.

They've proposed removing a section of the concrete span from the causeway using a crane or barge, which would allow boats through.

Ferguson has another suggestion.

"Some of those tour boats could be lifted over the causeway," he said. They would use "big cranes," he explained, though acknowledged that would be a more "challenging" option.

His company is fortunate in one sense: one of their boats, the triple-decked Island Queen, is already moored on the correct side of the bridge after being put to work earlier this year during a sold-out eclipse day cruise.

Ferguson said despite the difficulties, he's had encouraging conversations with PSPC and is confident a solution can be found so the boats will be on the right side of the bridge by May.

"We are frustrated, but we're hopeful."