An economic impact study on the ferry service between Yarmouth, N.S., and Bar Harbor, Maine, has begun.
Over two sailing seasons, data will be collected to help determine if the service is providing good value to Nova Scotian taxpayers.
“For the first time there is a government that is actually going to do a broad impact study that needed to be done, which has never been done to this depth,” N.S. Public Works Minister Kim Masland told media on Wednesday.
“Finally, a government that is going to do that, so that Nova Scotians understand the value that they’re receiving in their tax dollars.”
Masland announced the contracted consulting firm for the Yarmouth ferry study (the CAT) will be newly-formed group 21 FSP.
The team is made up of Thomas McGuire and Ron L’esperance — the latter having served as deputy minister of the Department of Community Services under premier John Hamm.
“You’re telling me that out of all the applicants they’ve gotten to do a consultant report on this, they picked one that nobody has heard about that has ties to the Conservative Party?” said N.S. Liberal Leader Zach Churchill.
He went on to tell media after the announcement that he doesn’t have confidence in this process.
“I think the premier has been very clear on his opposition to this ferry since day one,” Churchill said. “In part he made his opposition career on this one issue and I feel, particularly after today, that they’re just trying to create cover to get rid of it.”
According to Bay Ferries Limited, as of Sept. 11, 38,655 tickets have been sold for the CAT’s 2023 operating season — a nearly 2,000-passenger increase from bookings over the same period last year.
For the 2022 sailing season, the province provided $17.6 million in support for the service.
“I’m south shore, I’m right next door. I see people coming from the ferry into the two resorts I have in my constituency,” said Masland.
“But this is a significant cost to taxpayers and there needs to be evidence to show to Nova Scotians that this is value for their money.”
Masland says work on the project is already underway and will continue for about a year at a cost of $180,000.
The current contract for ferry service with Bay Ferries ends after the 2025 sailing season. Taxpayers will learn more about the impact study in the fall of 2024.