P.E.I. must have 2-ferry service, federal transport minister reaffirms as repair delays continue

Transport Minister Anita Anand reconfirmed the federal government's support for a two-ferry service connecting Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia during a visit to Charlottetown Thursday.

Anand was on the Island for a meeting with interprovincial trade ministers.

"We, as a federal government, are committed to a two-ferry service," she told CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin.

"Right now we're in a moment that is unacceptable. It is unacceptable not to have ferry service operating for Islanders."

Since Sunday, neither of the two boats operated by Northumberland Ferries has been in service on the popular seasonal route.  

MV Saaremaa was tied up after its last run on Sunday, when a temporary repair to one of its four engines failed. Another of the engines was undergoing repairs at the time as well, so the vessel leased from Quebec's ferry company had only two working engines. It needs at least three to operate. 

Northumberland Ferries' other boat, MV Confederation, is still in dry dock in Pictou after a Sept. 15 collision with the wharf caused by a mechanical failure.

"MV Saaremaa I's repairs to the #3 main engine are continuing through the weekend and Monday with final testing to be conducted Monday night and Tuesday," Northumberland Ferries general manager Jeff Joyce said in the news release.

"Provided that the subsequent inspection and certification of the repairs are successful, MV Saaremaa I will begin service from Caribou Wednesday morning."

With that engine repaired, Joyce said technicians will turn their attention to a permanent fix for the engine that failed Sunday.

"We recognize the impact this situation has had and will continue to have on our customers through this lengthy delay of service," the news release quoted him as saying. "We apologize for the disruption it is causing."

The news release also provided an update on the repair for MV Confederation, to fix a hole in the bow door that left it inoperative. Joyce could not say when the repair would be complete, but said the company hoped to be able to provide a timeline on Monday.

This is the second time in two years that there has been an extended period when Northumberland Ferries had no operational boats.

There was no service from June 17 to July 10 of last year, with the exception of a few crossings on the Canada Day weekend. Confederation had mechanical troubles, and Saaremaa had not yet arrived from Quebec for the season.

I'm going to keep pressing until we have two ships in the water, with two more ships coming.— Federal Transportation Minister Anita Anand

Anand became transport minister only last week, following the sudden resignation of Pablo Rodriguez. But she said she understands the importance of the service — she grew up in Nova Scotia and rode the ferry many times — and said it was one of the first files she asked to be briefed on.

"It is very difficult now, but I want Islanders to know that as a new transport minister, I'm on top of it," said Anand. "I'm going to keep pressing until we have two ships in the water, with two more ships coming."

The Saaremaa is a temporary replacement for MV Holiday Island, which caught fire during a crossing in 2022 and was subsequently scrapped.

Transport Canada bought a more long-term replacement last year, but MV Fanafjord remains in Norway for a retrofit.

In 2019, the federal government promised a brand-new ferry to replace the Holiday Island. That ferry is still in the design phase and is not due to be delivered until at least 2028.

Pictou mayor frustrated

Interviewed by Radio-Canada before the latest delay was announced, the mayor of Pictou, N.S., said he has major concerns about the reliability of the ferry service.

Jim Ryan said the ferry opens up a shipping corridor to move goods through his part of the province, as well as bringing tourism dollars to all of northern Nova Scotia. In particular, restaurant owners in the Pictou region are feeling the strain when the ferries are off, he added.

"If people are trying to decide whether to take the ferry to travel from Prince Edward Island to Nova Scotia and they have to check to see if the ferries are going to be running, then that's going to be a problem," he said.

The Confederation Bridge that links Borden-Carleton, P.E.I., and Cape Jourimain, N.B., is the only other option for people wanting to drive to and from the Island.

"Some people are just going to choose to either bypass part of their trip to Prince Edward Island, or they're going to actually decide to travel the other way automatically just to make sure that they're going to get to the mainland," Ryan said.