Latest news with #CATFerry
CTV News
13-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Fewer Canadians taking Nova Scotia CAT ferry, U.S. bookings show signs of growth
The CAT Ferry is pictured in Yarmouth, N.S., on June 5, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Jonathan MacInnis) 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. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CTV News
06-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Will declining ridership numbers affect the CAT Ferry's contract renewal?
The CAT Ferry is pictured in Yarmouth, N.S., on June 5, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Jonathan MacInnis) Bay Ferries has released the most recent ridership numbers for the CAT Ferry, which travels between Yarmouth, N.S., and Bar Harbor, Maine. Last month's figures show almost 13,000 reservations for this sailing season compared to over 16,500 at the same Video taken on board a little more than a week ago shows a nearly-empty ship heading to Maine. Canadians boycotting vacations to the United States in reaction to the trade war may be a reason for the drop in numbers. 'I'm actually not concerned at all with the drop in passengers because it is one way,' said Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood. Yarmouth resident Lee Corporon is retired and, to pass the time, he heads to the wharf to watch the vessel load and unload. 'I think there was 42 vehicles that just went on the boat, on the ferry, and I think two days ago when it docked, I counted 78 coming off,' he said. CATT Ferry The CAT Ferry is pictured in Yarmouth, N.S., on June 5, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Jonathan MacInnis) The province and Bay Ferries have a contract to operate the ship through next season. The province has said ridership will play a part in determining its willingness to sign a new deal. 'An economic impact study of the service is currently underway, which will inform decisions on the future of the service,' said a spokesperson for Nova Scotia's Department of Public Works in a statement to CTV News. Mood believes the drop in numbers is a blip on the radar, not a trend. 'I think they've seen that the numbers are climbing in previous years so no, not worried at all that that will be taken into consideration,' she said. 'I absolutely can't see a government shutting down an international highway to the U.S. where there's tens of millions of people.' Phillip Mooney, chair of the Yarmouth and Acadian Shores Tourism Association, says the bookings look good on the American side. He adds Yarmouth isn't the only entry point seeing a decline in Canadians heading south of the border. 'The crossings in Windsor, the crossings in British Columbia, the cancellations and disruptions of some of the air services going to the United States,' he said. The full picture will be clearer when Bay Ferries releases its updated passenger numbers, which is expected next week. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
