Halifax council has taken the next step towards buying a new ferry. The council approved a motion on Tuesday to get more information about the costs associated with adding to the current fleet of five ferries. The city says the passenger ferry fleet has not expanded since 2018, yet the population has grown by nearly 100,000 and ferry ridership has reached 1.8 million boardings. “Halifax is growing, and our infrastructure needs to keep pace. Our ferries are a core part of the transit system. They move thousands of people between Dartmouth and Halifax every day, provide an alternative to driving, and help take pressure off our bridges and roads,” said Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore in a Tuesday news release from the city. The current five vessel fleet is run by diesel and went into service between 2014 and 2018. The newest of those, each cost $6 million. A recent staff report says at least $20 million would be needed for midlife upgrades, that’s on top of another $23 million for terminal repairs, “This year showed us what happens when there isn’t enough flexibility in the fleet. Vessel maintenance reduced Alderney service from every 15 minutes to every 30 minutes, and more than 3,000 ferry trips were cancelled between January and March. We know more major maintenance is coming while our population and demand for ferry service continue to grow,” said Fillmore. Fillmore adds the city shouldn’t wait for another service disruption to plan for the future. “Today’s motion doesn’t commit the Council to purchasing a ferry. It asks staff to give us the full picture - including the cost of a new vessel, the infrastructure it would require, and the ongoing staffing and maintenance costs - so we can consider that investment alongside our other priorities through the upcoming budget process,” he said. The motion was approved by a 10-to-five vote. With files from CTV Atlantic’s Emma Convey. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
