Province Extends Yarmouth Ferry, Releases Economic Impact Progress Report

People and businesses will continue to benefit from the ferry connecting Nova Scotia and Maine as the Province extends the service and commits to finding a long-term solution.

A progress report on the comprehensive economic impact study released today, October 15, shows the service benefits all regions of the province and is not more expensive than comparable services.

“Our job with the ferry service is making sure it delivers good value for all Nova Scotians, and we continue to do the work to understand its impact,” said Public Works Minister Kim Masland. “This progress report shows us ferry passengers stay longer, spend more and travel throughout the province. It also illustrates the importance of maintaining consistency with the service.”

The service, between Yarmouth and Bar Harbor, will continue for the 2025 and 2026 sailing seasons. After that, the Province will require new agreements for the vessel, operator and United States terminal operator.

The economic impact study by 21 FSP, which began in September 2023, will continue to collect and analyze data this fall. The final report is expected in the spring of 2025.

Quotes:

“The Maine–Nova Scotia ferry is more than just a historical marine connection; it’s a bridge that has always drawn thousands of international travelers to our province, connecting people from different parts of the world. My partners and I have always believed in the value of the service and have long recognized our role in welcoming visitors to Nova Scotia and helping them discover all the fantastic experiences in our beautiful province. We’re thrilled that the Province of Nova Scotia has committed to maintaining consistency with this Maine-Nova Scotia ferry and that we can continue to build on this provincial investment.”
— Calvin d’Entremont, Chair, Yarmouth and Acadian Shores Tourism Association

“As the 2024 operating season comes to a close, we have been very pleased with our ability to deliver the provincial ferry service safely, efficiently and with a focus on continued growth. The 30 per cent growth over last year’s traffic is a testament to the hard work of our BFL employees and local contractors that work very hard to ensure high levels of ship and terminal operational readiness with a focus on exceptional customer service. We are already looking forward to the 2025 season.”
— Mark Wilson, President and CEO, Bay Ferries Limited

Quick Facts:

• in 2023, visitors using the ferry spent more than $20 million in Nova Scotia and stayed in the province for an average of 8.2 nights
• 38 per cent of passengers visited Halifax, 30 per cent stayed in the Annapolis Valley and 27 per cent travelled to Cape Breton
• the ferry transported 38,430 passengers and 15,348 vehicles over 96 round trips in 2023
• as of Thursday, October 10, the ferry has transported 48,804 passengers and 19,711 vehicles this season
• the Province has budgeted $21 million for the service in 2024, and final costs will be known this fall

Additional Resources:

Progress report: https://novascotia.ca/tran/yarmouthferry/yarmouth-to-maine-ferry-progress-report.pdf

Nova Scotia – Maine ferry service: https://www.ferries.ca/thecat

Department of Public Works on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/NS_PublicWorks

Other than cropping, CNS photos are not to be altered in any way.