Nova Scotia Officials to Meet Tancook Island Residents Over Ferry Frustrations
Government officials, including members of Nova Scotia’s Department of Public Works and MLA Daniel Barkhouse, have scheduled meetings on Big and Little Tancook Islands for October 30 to address resident concerns about a new ferry service. Little Tancook residents are frustrated that new wharfs were built only at Blandford and Big Tancook, leaving their existing infrastructure unable to accommodate the new 18-vehicle ferry.
Nova Scotia government officials are set to meet with residents of Big and Little Tancook Islands on October 30 to address mounting frustration over changes to the local ferry service. Members of the province’s Department of Public Works will attend the sessions, which are scheduled to take place at the rec centre on Big Tancook Island and at the school on Little Tancook Island.
Daniel Barkhouse, the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Chester-St. Margarets, will also attend the meetings. No meeting has been scheduled in Blandford, located on the mainland. Department of Public Works spokesperson Toby Koffmann confirmed that the next official update regarding the ferry situation would be provided at the October 30 gathering.
The controversy stems from a ferry upgrade announced six years ago. The government split the tender for the project, awarding a $56.8-million contract to Pennecon Heavy Civil Ltd. to construct new wharfs. However, the new infrastructure was built only in Blandford and on Big Tancook Island. No new wharf was constructed on Little Tancook Island, where the existing structure cannot accommodate the new 18-vehicle ferry.
Little Tancook resident Mark Hartshorn stated that his community has been disregarded by the responsible parties, citing a lack of progress, transparency, and maintenance regarding car ferry infrastructure over several years. This perceived disregard has fueled mounting frustration among residents.
Safety concerns surrounding the condition of the Little Tancook wharf have also been raised. Reports indicate that boards fly up and water gushes through walls during inclement weather. These conditions pose risks to children aged two to 13 who rely on public transit to get to school.
As of late September, the Department of Public Works was weighing options for Little Tancook’s ferry service. Officials expect the eventual arrangements to be similar to current operations.