Nova Scotia has issued a request for proposals to conduct an economic impact study on the heavily subsidized ferry between Yarmouth, N.S., and Bar Harbor, Maine.
In a Tuesday release, Public Works Minister Kim Masland said the province “(needs) to know that this service is providing good value” to taxpayers.
Masland went on to say the province has collected input from local governments, chambers of commerce and the tourism industry, and that a study of this depth has not been done but is “essential” in making informed decisions.
The study, which was brought up last fall by Premier Tim Houston, will collect data over two sailing seasons.
The high-speed ferry service resumed last year following a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19 and the construction of a terminal in Bar Harbor. The previous Liberal government had set a target of 60,000 passengers per season when the service was established in 2016.
The 2022 sailing season saw 36,151 passengers and received $17.9 million from the province that year.
The RFP is currently open and closes July 24. A final report is expected in late 2024, according to the province.
The current contract for the Yarmouth ferry ends after the 2025 sailing season.
— with a file from The Canadian Press
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