Deer Islanders upset by plan to reduce winter ferry service

"Deer Islanders -- we're just shocked," says Joyce Stuart, the chairman of the West Isles Local Service District committee, about the plan to reduce ferry service to the island to only one vessel for a four and a half month period each year. "We cannot picture it. We're going to be fighting hammer and tong to maintain the service we've got," Stuart says adamantly, adding about the proposed cut, "We're going back to the '50s with that."

The provincial government's 2009-10 budget that was presented on March 17 calls for having one of the Deer Island-Letete ferries, the 18-car John E. Rigby, run on a seasonal basis, so that only the 24-car Deer Island Princess II would serve the island during the period from January 1 through May 15. The plan calls for the change in service to begin in January 2010. The provincial legislature is expected to vote on the budget soon.

The placing of the John E. Rigby on a seasonal run would save an estimated $300,000. Rick Doucet, MLA for Charlotte-The Isles, says that because of the economic downturn, the Department of Transportation's overall budget is being cut $8 million, and three ferries on the Saint John River would be taken off completely. Stuart, though, doesn't see where the savings would be, as she understands that the ferry crew would retain their jobs and the ferry would be maintained. The only savings, then, would be in fuel.

Doucet met with West Isles LSD committee members on March 23 to hear their concerns, and another meeting will be held on the island with the committee, representatives of the Department of Transportation and stakeholders to consider alternatives, including taking off some of the trips during the year. "We need to set up a plan for efficiencies in the operation," says Doucet, but not cut the service to only one ferry. Stuart suggests as an option the cutting back on some trips and also suggests that the department have fewer meetings, to save on travel costs, and conduct more business by teleconferencing.

At the March 23 meeting, the committee came up with 90 reasons for why the ferry should not be placed on a seasonal run. "Every service we have comes from the mainland," says Stuart. "We need the same services as the mainland needs, only ours has to come on the ferries."

With only the Deer Island Princess running, the schedule would be cut to one trip every hour. The one ferry would not be able to handle by itself the amount of traffic and sometimes could be down for repairs, Stuart says. "I cannot see one ferry doing it."

Pointing to the need for the two ferries, she says the ambulance service makes about 135 trips a year on the ferry, and fire departments from the mainland are needed to help fight any fires on the island. With no hydro workers on the island during the day, the fire department cannot fight a house fire until the electricity is disconnected by a hydro worker coming on the ferry. Doctors, nurses and teachers who serve the island come on the ferry, as do workers for Paturel's International, Cooke Aquaculture and other companies. Deer Island students attending Fundy High School travel by ferry, and the school and the recreation council on the island organize activities or tournaments for which youths come to the island. She understands, though, that two school buses are not allowed to be on the same ferry. "All of our goods come by truck C milk, bread, groceries. Everything comes here," says Stuart. "I don't think they realize that's our lifeline."

She says Doucet heard the committee's concerns and will be passing them on to Transportation Minister Denis Landry. Stuart says they hope to settle the issue quietly, without a protest, "but if need be, we'll certainly put on one."

The closing of the DOT garage on the island, as of May 4, is also planned, with the garage only to be staffed during the winter months. A total of 23 DOT garages in the province are being closed or placed on a seasonal basis. Stuart says, if the garage is closed, they would like the garage reopened by October 1 and a DOT supervisor on the island during the months it's closed.

Doucet says that, being from St. George, "I understand the impact of the situation with the ferry. I will work with the community so we hope it can be on when it's most heavily used but maybe take off some trips when it's not used so much." He says Minister of Transportation Denis Landry is open to suggestions on the issue.

Stuart hopes that the minister might come to the island. "If we get him here, he might not get back. Then he'd know what a ferry means."