Gagetown ferry loss protested at legislature

People from the Gagetown area took their concerns about losing the Gagetown ferry to the New Brunswick Legislature on Wednesday.

Dozens of people carrying signs with slogans such as "Save Our Ferry" and "Rural Lives Matter" staged a demonstration on the lawn of the Legislature.

Green Party Leader David Coon addressed the group and linked the elimination of the rural ferry to giving money to help a shipyard.

"We bought a shipyard for a dollar. Let the shipyard build a new ferry for Gagetown," which is a reference to the government bailout of the New Brunswick Naval Centre in Bas-Caraquet.

• Gagetown residents won't say goodbye to ferry without a fight

The elimination of the ferry across the St. John River at Gagetown was announced in February's budget.

The free cable ferry required $100,000 in repairs in 2015 after being deemed unseaworthy and Transport Canada was not prepared to licence it for the 2016 season.

Replacing the ferry would have cost millions of dollars, said a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation.

With no ferry service, residents must drive about 70 kilometres round-trip for everything from medical appointments to church services.

The former Liberal government of Shawn Graham announced it would axe the Gagetown ferry in 2009-10, but backed down on that decision after a lobbying blitz.