The season is over before it even started. Again.
During today’s COVID briefing, the Premier confirmed that The Cat ferry will NOT be sailing.
Stephen McNeil cited the epidemiology of our southern neighbour as the main reason.
“It’s alarming when you hear the number of cases coming out of some of the U.S. states on a daily basis, so we felt it was better to give notice now to that community in Yarmouth, Southwestern Nova Scotia, to the province, to the operator, and businesses there, to prepare for a season without that service.”
He says the terminal in Yarmouth just isn’t equipped for the screening process needed for international travelers.
The Premier says the decision is based on protecting the health of Nova Scotians.
“Coming into our airports, there are four of them now that welcome international travel, they have screening processes for people entering into those entry points. We do not have that at the Yarmouth ferry point and we felt it best that this year would be, in the best interest of the safety of Nova Scotians to cancel it now.”
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Yarmouth wasn’t surprised by the ferry cancellation announcement.
Pam Mood says we are definitely going to feel the impact but many people expected this decision.
“We definitely understand that it was the right call. Dis we expect it? I can say that we certainly did expect it or we should have. All we have to do is take a peak on the other side of the border to understand what’s going on down there.”
She says many people in the area have been worried about the border opening.
“I take the temperature of our community on a regular basis and, as much as we know how tremendously important this ferry is to us and to our economy…zero appetite to have hundreds od Americans, that are possibly infected, come to our shores. It’s about health and safety.”
The Mayor was quite blunt in her assessment of what we need to do to help businesses survive, especially the “Buy Local” campaign.
“We can get just about everything right here in this county…we are talking about businesses that will close down if we think that it’s okay to spend our money elsewhere, especially right now…and that’s a hard message, but it’s an important one. We can do this but only if we do it together.”
Mark McDonald,, President of Bay Ferries, said in a statement, “We wish to thank our employees, our ship’s crew, our valued partners in the Town of Bar Harbor, the Town of Yarmouth, USCBP, and CBSA who have worked closely with us to be ready for this season. We are grateful for everyone’s continued support and look forward to successful operations in 2021 and the future.”
The ferry is at its winter berth in Charlston, South Carolina, where it will remain for now.
