Cabinet minister floats extending Cat ferry service to 'salvage' season

Bay Ferries still hasn't inaugurated its new run between Yarmouth, N.S., and Bar Harbor, Maine, but Transportation Minister Lloyd Hines is suggesting the season could be extended to give the company a chance to "work out the kinks."

The season was supposed to begin June 21, but the company is still waiting for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to approve the dockside facilities in Maine.

"We're very confident that we will have some sailings this year," Hines told reporters after a cabinet meeting in Halifax. "One of the options we're looking at is extending [the] season beyond the regular period."

Hines said the idea would be to add "a couple of weeks" to the end of the regular sailing season. Last year, the ferry ran between Yarmouth and Portland, Maine, and the season ended Oct. 8.

"We know that Bar Harbor is an attractive target because of the significant tourism attraction they have in that area with the Acadian forest there," said Hines. "It attracts two or three million people in there every year."

"We are committed to doing everything that we can to salvage as much as we can this season."

Hines said running the service would accomplish two things: meet a potential demand and allow the service to begin this year.

'I think there is demand there,' says Hines

Asked if he thought the company might run a near-empty ship by October, given the lack of advertising and the uncertainty over the season, Hines said he hoped that wouldn't be the case.

"I think there is demand there," he said. "And depending on when we get rolling, then I think there's quite a bit of benefit for us to work out the kinks in the operation, establish the service and look forward to a big 2020 season."