Nova Star Cruises gets $1.5M more from Nova Scotia government

The Nova Scotia government has provided Nova Star Cruises with an additional $1.5 million to continue operating the ferry connecting Yarmouth with Maine.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transportation says the money comes out of the $13 million subsidy they promised earlier this year. So far, Nova Star has tapped into $9.6 million of that.

It's less than the $2.5 million it was asking for.

The 2015 sailing season wraps up in October and it's unclear if Nova Star will continue to run the service next year.

The province had promised to make a decision about the 2016 operator last week, but delayed its decision.

Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan said the government was considering other operators for next year.

He said he was "disheartened" by how hard it was to get the company's 2014 financial information.

"The operator has to be fully accountable when using public funds. Until we review the remaining financial data we just received for the 2015 season, we will not be issuing any further money," MacLellan said at the time.

Mark Amundsen, president and CEO of Nova Star Cruises, wasn't available for comment on Friday, but said in an email he was "pleased" with the disbursement.

"We respect and appreciate the province's need to carefully manage public money and will continue to make sure that the province of Nova Scotia has all the information it requires moving forward to make prudent financial decisions. We will continue to work to convince the province that we are the best option for 2016 as well," he said

The province spent $28.5 million on the ferry last season.