After trip to D.C., minister says Yarmouth ferry could sail this month

The province's transportation minister is hopeful a partial season for the ferry between Yarmouth, N.S.,and Bar Harbor, Maine, may be in the cards after a trip to Washington last week.

While the approval from American border security officials to operate out of a terminal in Bar Harbor still hasn't been received, Transportation Minister Lloyd Hines told reporters on Thursday that it's possible the ferry could sail this month.

But Hines said he didn't nail down an expected date for the approval,or confirm that July was a possibility, during his meeting with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Last month, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said similar applications take 12 to 18 months.

The service's start date for 2019has been delayed twice, pending completed construction of the terminal andapproval from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The operator of the ferry service, Bay Ferries,has cancelledreservations up to and including July 18.

Since Bay Ferries received the OK to move its U.S. port from Portland to Bar Harborlast year, there have been several submissions and changes sent to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Business Minister Geoff MacLellan said previously.

The company signed a lease earlier this yearto usethe Bar Harbor terminal.

Hines said the construction schedule at the Bar Harbor terminal makes him hopeful the Cat will sail this summer.

'Apocalyptically asinine'

NDPLeader Gary Burrill said the Liberal government's lack of answers about when the ferry will sail is a "mess."

"The government's whole handling of the Yarmouth ferry continues to be apocalyptically asinine," he said.

PC Leader Tim Houston said the application to U.S. Customs and Border Protection should have been submitted earlier.

"The mistakes they've made on this file are just so numerous and so constant," said Houston.

Delegation met with senators, congressman

While in Washington, Hines also met with Maine senators Susan Collins and Angus King, Rep. Jared Golden and the chief of staff for South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham.

The delegation also met with the province's new ferry lobbyist, David Wilkins, the former American ambassador to Canada.

The province is paying Wilkins $10,000 US a month to lobby on behalf of the service.