![]() MacDonald said an agreement will allow "demolition and other work" on the terminal property before the other agreements are in place. The government has spent $32 million in subsidies since the ferry service resumed in 2015. ![]() Meanwhile, there has been no word from the province on either the final figure for last season's subsidy, or on the potential cost of the upcoming season. "Although we don't have an estimate on the anticipated expenditure in Bar Harbor, we are expecting it to be less than that," she said. In an email, Transportation Department spokeswoman Marla MacInnis said construction costs for the facility had been estimated at $8-million had the ferry remained in Portland, but will be lower in Bar Harbor. He also said the province hadn't made a final decision on paying for more than US$3 million in upgrades to Bar Harbor's ferry terminal, but added it was reasonable to expect it would incur at least "some of the cost," as it did when the ferry used the port in Portland.Īs part of the deal with Bar Harbor, Bay Ferries also requires a commitment on the construction of a new U.S. public servants as part of the cost of doing business. Hines defended potentially using provincial taxpayers' money to pay U.S. However, Nova Scotia Transportation Minister Lloyd Hines said last week the province is considering footing the bill for U.S. border officials, saying they have requested confidentiality around the discussions. MacDonald wouldn't reveal details of talks that began last month with U.S. "We're confident we can get this done somehow," he said. He said his company has set no deadline for things to come together for the upcoming season. "Naturally we are hoping that's sooner rather then later." "We understand the circumstances and we're satisfied that everyone will move forward as quickly as they can as soon as they can once the shutdown ends," said MacDonald. The heavily subsidized ferry is set to move to Bar Harbor from Portland, Maine, after Bay Ferries struck a deal with the town last fall.īut Bay Ferries CEO Mark MacDonald said Monday the town is still waiting for Maine's new governor to sign off on the transfer of the terminal property.Īnd he said talks with United States Customs and Border Protection around its services and renovation work at the Bar Harbor terminal are on hold until the federal shutdown concludes. government shutdown and the transition to a new governor. HALIFAX - The private operator of the Nova Scotia-Maine ferry says its move to a new port in the state is being held up by the U.S.
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