'Extremely disappointing': Pictou businesses feel the pain as P.E.I. ferries remain out of service
A Nova Scotia town which relies on tourists is feeling the impacts of cancelled ferry crossings.
It comes at a time when the fall season was expected to be bustling with visitors. Instead, businesses in the town of Pictou, N.S., are now facing cancellations of their own.
"The businesses around here, we're going to suffer because we count on these next few weeks of tourist season still to help for the winter," said Marina Bar and Grill manager Kelly Heighton.
During the height of the tourism season, and when the ferries between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are working, Heighton said Marina's is very busy.
"People come from all over, and it's from the time we open the doors until we close them. It's just non-stop. This place is full," said Heighton.
The MV Confederation has been out of service since mid-September due to a mechanical issue. It's currently docked in Pictou for repairs.
The MV Saaremaa experienced engine issues on Sept. 24. Initially, sailings were cancelled for two days, and then another few, but now that ferry is out of commission for a few weeks, which means there is currently no service.
"If this had happened earlier in the year, it would have had a more dramatic effect on certainly the tourism and the tourism dollars here, but it was extremely disappointing," said Pictou Mayor Jim Ryan.
"What's been most disappointing over the last number of weeks is the continued interruption to the service as a whole," said Ryan.
He said work needs to be done to ensure there is reliable service.
"Whether it's a quick replacement of the Confederation and the Saaremaa, or whether it's just some proactive maintenance on ships in terms of catching problems before they happen and cause these disruptions," he said.
Sandy Best who owns the Scotsman Inn said this has been an ongoing issue for businesses.
"It's not as if it's the first time. Every season we've had challenges with the ferry service which is sad," said Best.
He said the Scotsman Inn is usually open until November, but it will be closing early this year due to the lack of service and communication.
"We've got cancellations now, which is upsetting, but there's nothing I can do about it," said Best.
Ferry service is not expected to resume until Oct. 19. Even then, only one ferry will be in service while the other deals with lengthy repairs.
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides
Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'
NDP house leader laments 'agents of chaos' in precarious Parliament
NDP House leader Peter Julian says there's more his party wants to do in Parliament before the next election, but if the current dysfunction continues it will become a factor in how they vote on a confidence measure.
Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years for voting data scheme
A judge ripped into a Colorado county clerk for her crimes and lies before sentencing her Thursday to nine years behind bars for a data-breach scheme spawned from the rampant false claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential race.
Here's what the jury didn't hear in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial
A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.
Youth pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of P.E.I. teen Tyson MacDonald
A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
2 dead after fire rips through historic building in Old Montreal
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building in Old Montreal early Friday morning, sources told Noovo Info.
A French judge in a shocking rape case allows the public to see some of the video evidence
A French judge in the trial of dozens of men accused of raping an unconscious woman whose now former husband had repeatedly drugged her so that he and others could assault her decided on Friday to allow the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.