Yarmouth ferry won't run if it puts Nova Scotians at risk, minister says

Nova Scotia's transportation minister says the ferry between Yarmouth, N.S., and Bar Harbor, Maine, will not sail this summer if it puts the health of Nova Scotians at risk.

"I know there's some anxiety out there that there might be an avenue for COVID on the ferry, and I want to make sure that people understand that door will not be open," Lloyd Hines told reporters on Thursday.

The border between the U.S. and Canada is closed to non-essential travel until at least June 21. Hines said that is a federal decision.

If the border remains closed, Hines said they are looking at ways to minimize operating costs of the ferry.

"We've asked Bay Ferries to give us an analysis of what the cost would be under different scenarios with regard to when we might be able to sail," Hines said.

"We want this service to work ... However, we're not going to do it [at] the expense of public safety."

$17.8M spent last year on ferry by taxpayers

The ferry terminal in Bar Harbor has been undergoing construction. No commercial crossings took place last year because the terminal wasn't ready. The province spent $17.8 million on the ferry service last year.

"It's a vital service to our area, it revitalized the tourism industry in 2018 and its absence was very, very notable and showed up in all the statistics in 2019," Hines said.

"The numbers speak for themselves in terms of how important this service is to the citizens, in particular, of southwest Nova Scotia."

The ferry is scheduled to resume service on July 15 if the border is open. However, daily crossings will not be happening this season.

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