Government needs to subsidize year-round Campobello ferry, says island group

Government officials are ignoring the seriousness of Campobello Island's uncertain future, says the chair of a committee lobbying for year-round ferry service.

Jack Flynn said there are multiple reasons for a drop-off in tourism, suffering businesses and population decline, but restricted access to mainland New Brunswick from the Fundy isle is a key factor.

"I think the government should step in and realize we're part of Canada and start supporting this place," Flynn told Information Morning Saint John.

Campobello Island, in the Bay of Fundy off the province's southwestern coast, is only accessible these days via a bridge from Maine more than an hour's drive from the border at St. Stephen.

The privately owned seasonal ferry to Deer Island has been out of commission for more than a year, and it's unclear exactly when it will be up and running.

The operator, East Coast Ferries, did not respond to a request for comment. However, when CBC News called the company, a voice message said a "tentative" date to resume service is June 28.

If true, that would be good news to tourism operators on the island, but Flynn believes a larger shakeup is needed.

"You're almost marooned in the winter time," he said.

Flynn, the new chair of the Year Round Ferry Development Committee, is calling on the government to subsidize a year-round ferry service similar to the provincial river ferry system.

A consultant's report, commissioned by the group and funded by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, suggested it would cost about $1.9 million to have service run throughout the year, using the same Deer Island route.

The report, released in January, also recommended that government enter into a contract with East Coast Ferries to run the service.

Six months later, Flynn is less than hopeful.

"There's no political will to work here with the people," he said.

He said the situation has "handicapped" Campobello.

'I know they are aware'

Campobello's new mayor, Brett Newman, said provincial and federal government officials have not responded to concerns over the ferry service.

"I know they are aware," said Newman, who won the mayoral race in the May municipal byelection.

"We're talking about it, so, you know, our office is open and our phone is always available."

He told Information Morning Saint John on Wednesday that he's hopeful the seasonal ferry will return at the end of the month for the sake of major events that will draw tourists to the island, including the annual Fogfest, a music and arts festival that starts at the end of July.

A Department of Transportation and Infrastructure spokesperson said Wednesday afternoon that the provincial government "continues to discuss this issue and raise it with our federal counterparts."

"We are aware of the concerns that the residents of Campobello Island have regarding year-round access to and from the island," Jeremy Trevors said in an email.

Steep population decline

The island's population has fallen by 30 per cent in the past 25 years, to a little more than 800 today. The report projected that figure will be halved within the next 40 years without a year-round ferry.

"The ferry will not solve all of the challenges we face, but I feel it would be a significant step forward," former mayor Stephen Smart said in January.

The ferry committee has said island residents were generally pleased with East Coast Ferries until last summer's outage, when the ferry was taken offline because of equipment problems.

Tourism operators said the lack of service was devastating to the island economy.

The island, which relies onthe seasonal industries of fishing and tourism, is the focus of a University of Guelph study into how it might better sustain itself and attract and retain people.