The CAT sailed out of Yarmouth Harbour this morning with passengers aboard.
The vessel resumed the service for the first time since 2018 due to the pandemic and renovations to the terminal in Bar Harbor, Maine.
Yarmouth MLA Zach Churchill says the ferry is big for tourism.
“People that travel on the ferry spend twice as much on average as people driving in or coming to our province by plane,” says Churchill.
He says there is about 70 million dollars worth of tourism economy in Southwestern Nova Scotia alone.
Churchill says he’s pleased to see the current government maintain the contract with Bay Ferries, which is set to expire in 2026.
“Especially considering they were very critical of the service while in opposition. I hope this demonstrates to all Nova Scotians that there’s value in this service, and that it is a net contributor to investment and money flowing in our province.”
Meanwhile, a great deal of work had to be done in Yarmouth to make sure the service was ready to resume.
Phase One of renovations to the Yarmouth International Ferry Terminal were completed last year.
Mayor Pam Mood says staff did a wonderful job.
“We’ve never had a sign up, so now it says ‘Ferry to Maine.’ The toll booth for border services was also done, there was a re-fit of the terminal and the area as well,” says Mood.
The Town has contributed $1.5 million toward project, with the municipalities of Yarmouth and Argyle, along with the federal and provincial governments also providing funding.
Mood says Yarmouth knows what it’s like to not have the ferry, and it’s important the business community steps up to make sure things are open for visitors.
“We need to be open later in the evenings. They’ll need places to eat and shop. We need to be open and able to serve our visitors, it’s very important.”
She says other than fishing, tourism is a main economic driver for our region, and the return of the ferry means so much to the area.
