Latest news with #NorthumberlandStrait
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Lower bridge, ferry costs mean less of a barrier for people going off-Island for health care
Living with a rare disease that comes with chronic pain hasn't been easy or cheap for P.E.I. resident Christine MacFadyen. Just leaving the province to get treatment came with a hefty price tag of $50 to cross the Confederation Bridge — a cost that added up quickly, given that she's been unable to work and has had to make the trip for the past 16 years. MacFadyen has granulomatosis with polyangiitis, or GPA, which causes swelling in small blood vessels. The bridge toll, along with the cost of gas and hotels, has meant a major financial strain for her family. She estimates she had to cross the Northumberland Strait to the mainland roughly 25 times a year. The cost associated with travelling off-Island for health care eventually pushed MacFadyen's family into bankruptcy. WATCH | Cheaper bridge and ferry trips will help people who have to leave P.E.I. for health care: "Sometimes we didn't have the money to go across the bridge and that was a barrier to getting the proper health care," she said. That toll to cross the bridge to New Brunswick will fall to $20 as of this Friday, following an announcement by Prime Minister Mark Carney this week. Fares for passengers, cars and commercial traffic on the ferry service between eastern P.E.I. and Nova Scotia will also go down by 50 per cent. MacFadyen no longer has to cover the bridge toll herself thanks to Hope Air, an organization that provides financial support to Canadians who need to travel to access medical care. While she said the toll reduction will make a difference for others like her who have to travel out of province for health care, she thinks the cost should be free for anyone receiving medical treatment that's not available to them in this province. "If [treatment is] not available on the Island, then we have no other choice," MacFadyen said. The P.E.I. government does offer some out-of-province travel supports to Islanders, depending on their income, to cover costs like flights, ferry passes, gas cards, bus tickets and meals. In a statement to CBC News, the province said it gave out 1,420 bridge passes and 44 ferry passes last year to people travelling for health care. 'The number one side effect of cancer is debt' Grappling with debt from health-care expenses impacts more than just those with rare conditions. Heather Mulligan, the Canadian Cancer Society's senior manager of advocacy for Atlantic Canada, said the organization often hears from Islanders who say the financial support available to them is not enough. "The number one side effect of cancer is debt," Mulligan said. Many people living with cancer on the Island have no choice but to travel out of province to get the care they need. Mulligan said some patients go to off-Island appointments every month. She said lowering the bridge toll will eliminate some of the barriers patients face when accessing medical care. "Reducing the bridge fees and reducing the ferry fees not only is an affordability announcement, one that is meant to bolster tourism and interconnectedness, but it eliminates a financial barrier that some Islanders have to face when accessing an essential care like cancer care," Mulligan said.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Search for missing kayaker continues in Shediac area
Luc Bourgeois departed in a kayak from the Pointe-du-Chêne wharf near Shediac around 1 p.m. on Thursday and then disappeared. His family says he was going to fish for mackerel, something Bourgeois has done a few times already this summer. He set out with a life-jacket, cellphone and fishing rod from the wharf's boat launch on the Northumberland Strait . Bourgeois, 34, was reported missing about two hours later, when he failed to return to shore, according to New Brunswick RCMP. "He would've been last seen off the waters of Shediac somewhere between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.," Cpl. Andrew Paynter said. "When he didn't return … his family became concerned." WATCH | Search manager says volunteers are searching shoreline: Bourgeois is described as being about five feet six inches tall and 170 pounds, with long curly brown hair, a beard and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing black shorts, a blue and grey life-jacket, a Bass Pro Shops hat, sunglasses and black Under Armour sandals, according to police. Police say they have followed up on several leads but haven't been successful. Searching land and sea Bourgeois's family remained optimistic he will be found safely. His cousin, 22-year-old Chloé Allain, said his kayak was found along with his phone and life-jacket, but there was no sign of Bourgeois himself. On Friday, Tri-County Ground Search and Rescue volunteers were called, setting up a command base at the Caissie Cape wharf, a few kilometres west of where Bourgeois was last seen. "We were called at 10 this morning and we got here on site with our equipment about 11:30," said search manager Chris Collins. Collins said there about 20 search and rescue volunteers are participating in the effort, and they're conducting the search both along the shoreline and in the water with the help of three boats and a drone. Other agencies involved in the search include the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Canadian Coast Guard, and a search and rescue helicopter. By Friday afternoon, the RCMP's underwater recovery team had also arrived. "We're still actively searching and hopefully he managed to swim to shore somewhere or something and hunkered down for the night," Collins said. "So that's our tasking right now, is to find him and bring him home." Collins said the search would continue until nightfall on Friday, at which time RCMP would make a decision about next steps. "I'm assuming he's sitting somewhere fishing, and the kayak probably drifted away, so he's just waiting for us to come find him," Allain said. "He's going to come home safe. It's just a matter of time." Anyone with information can call Shediac RCMP at 506-522-5151
CBC
6 days ago
- CBC
Search for missing kayaker continues in Shediac area
Luc Bourgeois departed in a kayak from the Pointe-du-Chêne wharf near Shediac around 1 p.m. on Thursday and then disappeared. His family says he was going to fish for mackerel, something Bourgeois has done a few times already this summer. He set out with a life-jacket, cellphone and fishing rod from the wharf's boat launch on the Northumberland Strait . Bourgeois, 34, was reported missing about two hours later, when he failed to return to shore, according to New Brunswick RCMP. "He would've been last seen off the waters of Shediac somewhere between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.," Cpl. Andrew Paynter said. "When he didn't return … his family became concerned." WATCH | Search manager says volunteers are searching shoreline: Search and Rescue describes efforts to find missing kayaker 2 hours ago Bourgeois is described as being about five feet six inches tall and 170 pounds, with long curly brown hair, a beard and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing black shorts, a blue and grey life-jacket, a Bass Pro Shops hat, sunglasses and black Under Armour sandals, according to police. Police say they have followed up on several leads but haven't been successful. Searching land and sea Bourgeois's family remained optimistic he will be found safely. His cousin, 22-year-old Chloé Allain, said his kayak was found along with his phone and life-jacket, but there was no sign of Bourgeois himself. On Friday, Tri-County Ground Search and Rescue volunteers were called, setting up a command base at the Caissie Cape wharf, a few kilometres west of where Bourgeois was last seen. "We were called at 10 this morning and we got here on site with our equipment about 11:30," said search manager Chris Collins. Collins said there about 20 search and rescue volunteers are participating in the effort, and they're conducting the search both along the shoreline and in the water with the help of three boats and a drone. Other agencies involved in the search include the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Canadian Coast Guard, and a search and rescue helicopter. By Friday afternoon, the RCMP's underwater recovery team had also arrived. "We're still actively searching and hopefully he managed to swim to shore somewhere or something and hunkered down for the night," Collins said. "So that's our tasking right now, is to find him and bring him home." Collins said the search would continue until nightfall on Friday, at which time RCMP would make a decision about next steps. "I'm assuming he's sitting somewhere fishing, and the kayak probably drifted away, so he's just waiting for us to come find him," Allain said. "He's going to come home safe. It's just a matter of time."
CTV News
23-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
P.E.I. premier says Carney assured him he's working to reduce bridge and ferry tolls
Traffic travels on the Confederation Bridge across the Abegweit Passage of the Northumberland Strait in Borden-Carleton, P.E.I., Friday, May 3, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese HUNTSVILLE, ONT. — Prince Edward Island Premier Rob Lantz says he has been told the federal government is working to reduce tolls for the Confederation Bridge and Northumberland Ferries as soon as possible. In a social media post, Lantz says the tolls are unfair and hurt families, businesses and his entire province. He made the comments after spending three days in Huntsville, Ont. for the Council of the Federation meeting with other premiers. He says he talked to Prime Minister Mark Carney at the meeting and urged him to reduce the tolls immediately. In response, he says Carney assured him the government was working to make this happen as fast as it could. During the election campaign, the federal Liberals promised to lower the Confederation Bridge tolls by more than half — from $50 to $20 — and by at least half for ferries on certain routes. In a letter sent to federal Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland in May, Lantz had said bridge and ferry tolls are seen as a significant trade barrier, increasing everyday costs. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025. The Canadian Press
Forbes
23-07-2025
- Forbes
Why You Should Consider 'Town-Sizing' When Planning Your Next Holiday
Souris Lighthouse on the Northumberland Strait, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Built in 1880 and located on Knight Point. getty Town-sizing is a cheeky way of saying opting for smaller towns and cities when traveling rather than heading to the famous big cities. The social media trend is driving a new way for travelers to think about and plan travel. 'Town-sizing is all about choosing quaint towns over bustling cities,' explained Stephen Lee, European travel specialist at Unforgettable Travel Company. 'Think walkable streets, local cafes, plenty of green space, and interacting with the locals, in an effort to focus on authenticity, relaxation, and charm.' If you've been considering hitting lesser-known and smaller destinations over the biggest tourist landmarks and cities, here is what travel experts are saying about the benefits of 'town-sizing' your next holiday: 'The major benefit of town-sizing is that it allows travelers to get away from the crowds, particularly in locations where over-tourism is a current concern, such as Barcelona,' explained Lee. 'By planning trips to smaller, perhaps lesser-known destinations, travelers are also able to discover more of a taste of everyday life, rather than following a popular or heavily-recommended itinerary,' added Lee. 'Even when traveling in a major city, it is wise to consider and/or experience town-sizing whilst in the destination, as it helps to harness the balance between the big, must-see attractions and the lesser-known provinces and villages where authenticity thrives.' 'Choosing small towns over big cities often means better value for money,' added Chris Wood, director, Escape The Past LTD. 'Accommodation, food, and activities tend to be more affordable, allowing travellers to stretch their budgets further. This makes town-sizing an attractive option for those looking to enjoy longer trips or more frequent breaks without overspending.' Boost the local economy At the same time, local businesses in smaller communities benefit from increased spending, which can help boost the local economy in a meaningful way. 'Town-sizing supports more sustainable tourism by distributing visitor spending beyond the usual hotspots, helping to reduce overcrowding and environmental pressure in major cities,' said Wood. Allow yourself to be surprised 'You book a ticket to a place or city that no other tourist has thought of, and then it's just you and your destination,' pointed out Stacie Vinson, travel advisor at Travel Taste Discover. 'On the return journey after my first town-sizing trip, I kept thinking about what made this short and sweet trip so special for me, and then it clicked. We came with no expectations, and that is why we were surprised by the modesty and charm of the town.'
