Eastern P.E.I. relieved but guarded about future of ferry service

People in eastern P.E.I. are relieved to hear a new ferry is on the way.

Earlier this week, the federal government announced plans to buy a 16-year-old Norwegian ferry, MVFanafjord, as an interim replacement on the route between Wood Islandsand Caribou, N.S.

But some Islanders say the government needs to do more to support reliable ferry service.

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Blair Aitken, the president of the Eastern P.E.I. Chamber of Commerce,would like to see a longer-term solution to the aging infrastructure.

He said the Fanafjordis nothing new.

"This is the same ferry recommendation that we made as a board and chamber six year ago," Aitken said. "This is the same ferry, rather,that was brought to the attention of government when the MV Holiday Island burned."

Even with a new ferry arriving, Aitken says the quality of service,frequency and dependability is still in question.

The Fanafjord will take over for MV Saaremaa1, the leased vessel that temporarily replacedMV Holiday Island after itcaught fire last year. The Saaremaareturned to service in P.E.I. for the summer.

Tourism operators and other businesses in eastern P.E.I. and northern Nova Scotia called for another vessel to be procured after MVConfederation, Northumberland Ferries' only permanent vessel,broke down in June.

A crucial part had to be manufactured in Germany to repair the Confederation,leaving no boatoperating on the route until the second week of July.

A year of uncertainty

Katherine Bryson, councillor for the Rural Municipality of Belfast, said there was a big sigh of relief whenthe Fanafjordpurchase was announced.

"We've been fighting really hard. Obviously, the municipality has been making a lot of contacts this summer trying to get this to happen and thankfully we've received everything we've asked for, so we couldn't be happier," Bryson said.

"New to us is great. I love second-hand, anything we can get.This season has just been so unpredictable.... Our industries here have gone through four years of uncertainty and to follow up with one more has just been awful."

New to us is great. I love second-hand, anything we can get.- Katherine Bryson, Rural Municipality of Belfast councillor

Trish Carter, anothercouncillor for the rural municipality, also runsGalla Designs Studioin Wood Islands.

Carter said it's been a difficult season for her business, particularly when there was only one ferry running.

"There's no traffic on the Trans-Canada. It was dead. No one was driving by and it was just very unsettling," she said."We had no idea what to expect.... It was a sense of uncertainty and worry for everyone involved in this area."

While Carter said things eventually picked up, the business has not fully rebounded.

"I think a lot of people redirected their vacations because they didn't know whether or not it was worth coming here and to add on the gas prices as well. So it's not been a great year."

'We want it to be green'

Darlene Compton, MLA forBelfast-Murray River, is concerned about how the new ferrywill be powered.

Theboat currently runs on liquefiednatural gas and electricity, butNorthumberland Ferries saidit will be converted to a diesel-electric hybrid.

"With the Fanafjordthat's coming, we want it to be green. We want it to be as advanced as it can be. We're the net-zeroprovince," Comptonsaid.

"Why are we not putting in the most advanced technology?"

Compton said she's cautiously optimistic about the future of the ferry service.

"I still feel that we're not there yet," she said."I'd like to hear more of what the answers are andwhy this ferry was chosen now and not seven years ago, when we really could have used it."

In an email statement to CBC P.E.I., Northumberland Ferriessenior vice-presidentMark Wilson said the company is very supportiveof the government's commitment to "provide an effective solution for two-ship ferry service" between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia.

"The vessel will be a great addition to the route," Wilson said."We are confident it will complement the MV Confederation."