‘The ferry is needed’: Gagetown residents rally to bring the town’s boat back

Residents rally for Gagetown Ferry Gagetown, N.B., residents are threatening to join the PC party if their ferry doesn’t return. CTV’s Laura Brown explains.

Residents held a rally in Gagetown, N.B., on Wednesday with a warning for the provincial government – either bring back the ferry, or lose votes in the 2018 election.

Supporters of the vessel held up signs and sent out letters, proving they’re not going away any time soon.

"I've been here since 1970, and it's the worst thing that's happened to the village," said resident Ron Samuels.

The province decided to cut funding to the ferry in their February budget. It was a decision that didn’t sit well with residents from the get-go.

"I recently had a client, well, a few months back (and it took) 45 minutes for the ambulance to get there,” said homecare service owner Brenda Dykeman. “That's quite long when you have somebody (who is) short of breath. A little scary."

Dykeman said with the ferry, that ambulance would have been there in about 25 minutes.

"That's the difference between life and death," she said.

The Gagetown ferry was the lifeline that connected several communities, going back decades in New Brunswick. But the province says the time has come to cut ties.

"Last year when there (were) washouts, it was the only way out of this community,” said resident Jim Wickett. “The ferry is needed."

Some are vowing to join the PC party if it doesn’t return. Tory leadership candidate Mel Norton is promising to bring the ferry back if elected.

New Brunswick Minister of Transportation Bill Fraser told CTV News in July that there will be no reversing the decision.

He also said no other ferry service in the province will be cut.

But the people of Gagetown and the surrounding communities are vowing not to let up, even if it takes them until the next election.

They say the next step is to watch the ramps that allowed cars onto the ferry on either side of the river to make sure they're not removed.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Laura Brown.