Lower North Shore and Anticosti Island losing winter ferry service

There will be no passenger or shipping services to Quebec'sLower North Shore this winter due to provincial budget cuts.

The Quebec'sferry company laSocit des traversiers duQubec says thatbecause its annual budget has beencut by $7 million, it will notoffer the service provided by its ferry, the Bella Desgagns, between January 19, 2015 and some time in April.

"We were forced to curb variousservices, including service to the Lower North Shore," said spokespersonMaryse Brodeur.

During the last four winters, winter shipping services cost the ferry company between $1.2 million and $2 millionto reach the Middle and Lower North Shore, as well asAnticosti Island.

On the Lower North Shore, the mayor of Gros Mcatina, Randy Jones, saidmayors in the areawill mobilize to demand the continuation of the service.

"There will be pressure by the end of the week. Others also are upset by this," said Jones.

The other options for going in an out of the Lower North Shore in the winter are driving on the frozen Route Blanche or takingaflight, which is much more expensive than the ferry.

"The only people that you see travelling on that plane are the bureaucrats and somebody thats sick going to the hospital because those are the only people who can afford to travel, said Jones

Jones told Susan Camplbell of CBC's Quebec AM that he realizes governments do have to make cuts, but he can't understand why they have to be made at the expense of the some of the province's most isolated citizens.