Future of Digby Saint John Ferry
Jun 25th, 2007 by Brian Hurlburt
============================================================
Sorry, No Audio Available
============================================================
Local residents are encouraged to express their voices at a three days of consultation session where the future of the Digby - Saint John Ferry, the Princess of Acadia, is to be decided.
The meetings will be held June 26-28, 2007 in Digby nearly a year after Bay Ferries announced the closure of the ferry service between Digby and Saint John, N.B. At the time Government monies helped waylay the closure to December 2008. However, the ferry’s fate still hangs in the balance.
The December 2008 deadline is marching closer and Ottawa has commissioned an analysis of ferry traffic and service over the past 10 years.
Yet the Fed’s study doesn’t appear interested in the views of those affected by the changes in Ferry scheduling.
Thus the Bay of Fundy Transportation Coalition, a local task force of municipal governments and economic interests, has been formed to focus attention on the regional importance of the ferry.
The Bay of Fundy Transportation Coalition has hired Christopher Wright, Mariport Group of Cambridge Ontario, to look at the impact on the region if the ferry service is withdrawn.
Mr. Wright will also will be looking at whether an improved service might mean more ferry business from industry and individuals. His preliminary report is expected by June 26 when the task force holds its consultations in Digby.
Jim Thurber, Coalition spokesman and Digby Municipal Warden, says these sessions will listen to municipal politicians and invited representatives of major industries such as fishing, forestry and tourism.
The sessions, held at the Digby Municipal Council Chambers, are open to delegates from 22 municipalities from Lunenburg to Wolfville. Following these Municipal Meetings a public session is planned for June 28 in the Digby Fire Hall and is open to all.
Mariport, which has considerable experience in ferry service development and marketing, is using a web-based survey and telephone interviewing to reach six stakeholder groups that the coalition believes have a role to play in the future of the Digby - Saint John ferry.
The web survey is already helping find the views of regional businesses and individuals, and is reaching out to other communities.
The survey takes only a few minutes to complete online and is posted on the company website, www.mariport.com.
Click Here to take the Survey Now!
============================================================
For YarmouthCounty.com, this has been Brian Hurlburt, and I invite you to Make it a great day!
Sincerely,
Brian Hurlburt
customerservice@yarmouthcounty.com
============================================================
Helpful Links
Saint John Digby Ferry Service – Bay Ferries
Click Here to take the Survey Now
Dept. of Transportation FAQ
Regarding Digby / Saint John Ferry Service