Ferry replacement an 'economic development' issue

Businesses in eastern P.E.I. have felt the impact of reduced ferry service this summer, and it's time to update the aging service, a public meeting heard Thursday night.

The Holiday Island has been out of service all season. Provincial MLAs who gathered at the public meeting, hosted by the legislature's economic development committee, were told it is time to replace the 44-year-old ship.

• Hearings to be held on reduced Wood Islands ferry service

"We need help from Justin Trudeau and the federal government. They've got money out there for economic development," said Gary Herring, chair of the community of Murray Harbour.

"This is not just an eastern P.E.I. thing. This is right across P.E.I. It affects the whole economic development on Prince Edward Island and tourism."

Business suffering

Passenger traffic was down 5.6 per cent on the ferry for the year to the end of July, while at the same time it is up double digits at theConfederation Bridge and it appears the province is on the way to another record-setting tourism season.

• P.E.I. reports record tourism in July

Some local businesses say their revenues are down by half this year. Tourist operators talked about frustrated visitors driving across the province and using the bridgerather than waiting hours for the one remaining ferryserving eastern P.E.I.

The committee's meeting in Wood Islands came at the request of local MLA Darlene Compton. Compton wants to hear from the ferry company and the federal transport minister at a future meeting.

"There's some finger pointing going on you know. Is it Transport Canada, is it Northumberland Ferries? I think we deserve answers," said Compton.

"That's why I moved a motion to bring Northumberland Ferries, Transport Canada and ultimately, the minister of transportation federally, Marc Garneau, to Prince Edward Island and to Wood Islands."

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