N.B. river ferry services affected by maintenance delays, repairs

FREDERICTON -- The New Brunswick government says ongoing maintenance on the province's aging fleet of river ferries is expected to cause some delays this season.

Transportation Minister Roger Melanson says four of the seven ferry services will be affected along the St. John and Kennebecasis rivers.

He says the Gagetown ferry is out of service until further notice pending an inspection of its hull, and the Belleisle Bay ferry is scheduled for repairs in 2015, which may take it out of service for up to two weeks.

Meanwhile, the Summerville-Millidgeville ferry, which usually starts operating this month, is currently in Nova Scotia for refit and is expected to return to service in mid-June.

And the smaller of two ferries that operate at the Westfield crossing will be in operation in late June, about a month behind schedule.

As well, Melanson says the regularly scheduled ferry service for Kennebecasis Island will resume as usual in mid-May using a replacement ferry.