Gagetown ferry will return to service in July after $100K in repairs

The Gagetown ferry is expected to be back crossing the St. John River in July after the provincial government spends about $100,000 on repairs, but the service will be reduced and the ferry's long-term future remains unclear.

"The government is currently in the midst of evaluating its expenditures, revenues and service offerings as part of the Strategic Program Review," Department of Transportation and Infrastructure spokeswoman Sarah Bustard said in an email to CBC News on Tuesday.

"As a government, we need to take the time to make the right decisions within our fiscal reality for the long-term benefit of all New Brunswickers," she said.

The ferry will be in service for the the short-term.

Transportation Minister Roger Melanson calls the ferry "an important tourism asset for New Brunswick."

"That is why we are working hard to get this vessel back in service for the bulk of the 2015 summer tourism season," he said in a news release.

• Gagetown ferry deemed unseaworthy and faces uncertain future

• PHOTO GALLERY: Gagetown Ferry unseaworthy

The rural ferry was deemed unseaworthy and removed from service in late February, following a routine inspection.

But the ferry could not be fully inspected until its hull could be taken out of the river, which had to wait until there was no more ice in the river.

"Our government understands that there has been some frustration with the status of the Gagetown ferry, but we could not rush into any decision on the file until we could fully understand the extent of the repairs to be carried out," Melanson said.

Government officials could not immediately say what those repairs will include, but it is estimated they will cost $100,000.

After the repairs are made, the ferry will be reinspected by Transport Canada Marine Safety. The results of that inspection will dictate new volume and weight restrictions.

Once the ferry resumes service, it will operate on a reduced schedule of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. It previously operated 24 hours a day.

The future of the Gagetown ferry has been in doubt in the past.

The former Shawn Graham government announced in 2009-10 that it would axe the Gagetown ferry, among others.

Following a local lobbying blitz, the Graham government backed down and put in place a reduction in service rather than stopping the Gagetown ferry service completely.