In just over a week the Nova Star ferry service between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and Portland, Maine will be finished for the year.
On Friday Portland mayor Mike Brennan was discussing the future of the vessel and its service with Yarmouth mayor Pam Mood.
Both were satisfied with the number of passengers aboard the Nova Star, even if ridership numbers were lower than expected.
Brennan hopes to get a commitment from tour bus operators that will see their buses use the Nova Star to cross between Maine and Nova Scotia, something the ferry service didn’t have this year.
Brennan is also hoping to begin marketing the Nova Star with the frequent train and bus services that run between Portland and Boston.
“They can get on a bus, get on a train, spend some time in Portland. Then get on the ferry and go to Nova Scotia,” says Brennan.
More than 8.5 million people travel through Portland every year and the Nova Star is hoping to capture a portion of those travelers.
Meanwhile the Yarmouth Area Industrial Commission is already looking at replacing the existing 60-year-old ferry terminal that they say is too old and too small.
“We knew it wasn’t suitable for today’s standards especially for Canadian Border Services,” says Murray Goodwin, the chairman of the Yarmouth Area Industrail Commission.
There’s no set price or timeline for the new ferry terminal, although the federal government has promised to chip in.
Meanwhile on October 21st mayor Mood will be holding a meeting with local businesses to see how to improve tourist’s experiences.
With files from CTV’s Rick Grant
