'I'm keeping my fingers crossed': N.B. tourism hotspot banks on the Atlantic Bubble this summer
News of a possible Atlantic Bubble by July 1 has the tourism hotspot of Shediac, N.B. hoping for the best this summer.
With loosened restrictions, locals are feeling cautiously optimistic.
Denise LeBlanc has been running the Shediac Bay Cruises for the last 13 years.
"It’s a big question mark," says LeBlanc. "Last summer was a bit of a disaster for us because we lost about 85 per cent of our revenues.”
With the possibility of the Atlantic bubble reinflating in July, there's hope a lot more tourists will arrive this summer.
“You can’t hire people and then not have them work, so that’s one of the big challenges that we face at this time. We’re just hoping for the best I guess," LeBlanc says.
An uncertain summer for a town that relies so heavily on visitors from out of province.
"Mostly Quebecers book at our place and this summer we expect that we will have a terrific season at the restaurant and hopefully we can get back some momentum for the bed and breakfast," says Sébastien Després, owner of restaurant Le Moque-Tortue.
A year into the pandemic, many businesses are trying to make up for lost time.
"If they do open up the borders, then we hope it's in a safe way we hope that we can keep doing business and not risk a shutdown mid-season," says Després
Vaccine rollout is well on track in New Brunswick, meaning the province is inching closer to a more 'normal' summer.
"I'm keeping my fingers crossed because look, we want the end to the pandemic, the sooner the better," says Shediac Mayor Roger Caissie. "It'll help our businesses and our community."
It's a reason for optimism in hopes that warmer and busier days are ahead.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.