Residents of the Tancook Islands will be glad to hear that the provincial and federal governments are contributing $10-million toward a new ferry that will service the islands.
The Department of Transportation announced Wednesday in a news release that the new vessel will provide shorter, more frequent trips and allow transport trucks and emergency response vehicles to access the islands.
The plan includes a new 18-car ferry that will replace the existing 38-year-old passenger ferry.
In order to accommodate the new larger vessel the ferry route is being altered. Once completed, the new ferry will depart from Blandford as opposed to Chester where it currently sets sail from.
The new route also shaves off roughly 20 minutes from the trip, reducing crossing time from 50 minutes to around a half hour.
Fisheries and Oceans Minister Bernadette Jordan said, “A Strong and modern infrastructure is an essential building block for healthy and prosperous rural communities. The Tancook Island ferry replacement will improve access to essential services for residents, while opening the community to new tourism and business opportunities.”
Ferry Captain Jason Keddy says in the same release, that the new ferry will have a big impact on the residents of the islands.
“Not only will a new car ferry bring better services to the islands from all levels of government and create economic opportunities, it shows commitment to rural Nova Scotia, Keddy stated.
“It means a safe, reliable service for the residents of these islands and makes living here more attractive to future residents, ensuring the viability of these Islands for years to come.”
A tender for the project will be issued later this week with plans to have the new service up and running by Spring 2021.
