Fewer Canadians taking Nova Scotia CAT ferry, U.S. bookings show signs of growth

The Cat Ferry is seeing an uptick in Americans booking crossings to Nova Scotia.

Fewer Canadians are using the CAT ferry service between Nova Scotia and Maine, but American bookings are showing signs of growth.

“We are trending close to last year’s bookings in terms of Americans taking the service and there are signs of continued growth for more Americans coming to Nova Scotia this season,” said Mark Wilson, president and CEO of Bay Ferries Limited (BFL), in a news release.

Statistics Canada is reporting a decrease in Canadian resident return trips by car. Wilson said that trend is true of Canadian booking on the CAT.

BFL released numbers on June 6 after video footage showed nearly empty ships heading for Maine near the end of May.

“I’m actually not concerned at all with the drop in passengers because it is one way,” said Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood.

Nova Scotia has signed a contract with Bay Ferries to operate through next season. The province said ridership will help determine if they will sign another deal.

Mood said she thinks the numbers are a blip on the radar and will recover.

BFL has booked 19,208 passengers for the 2025 season compared to 24,285 passengers booked for the same period last year.

The CAT began its season on May 5, running five days a week until June 19, when daily service begins. On Sept. 22 the CAT switches back to five days a week until Oct. 15.

The ferry departs Yarmouth, N.S., at 9:30 Atlantic time and Bar Harbor, Maine, at 3 p.m. Eastern.

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