New investment in terminal facilities for the Wood Islands-Caribou ferry service and improvements to the Holiday Island ferry are welcome news, especially to eastern Prince Edward Island, says Robert Vessey, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal.
“I am pleased the federal government recognizes the importance of making these much-needed and long overdue investments to enhance the ferry service,” said Minister Vessey. “As a provincial government, we are committed to ensuring the long-term future of this vital part of our transportation system and have worked to ensure these investments were identified as a priority by the federal government. I look forward to continuing to work with my federal counterparts to achieve this goal.”
The ferry service is an important transportation link to Prince Edward Island and was identified as a priority by the provincial government through the minister and officials in a number of meetings with the federal government on the province's infrastructure priorities.
The minister said that the Northumberland Ferry service is used extensively by businesses, truckers and residents in eastern Prince Edward Island and by tourists coming to and leaving the province. Last year, it carried a total of 150,000 vehicles and 380,000 passengers. Close to 16,000 trucks utilize the service, which was up by approximately eight percent last year. The ferry service has an economic impact of $27 million annually for Prince Edward Island alone.
“The ferry service is an important and, for many, a preferred means of travelling between Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia,” said Minister Vessey. “That is why we continue to support and encourage continued improvements for the benefit of Islanders and visitors.”