Minister announces food shipment to Norman Bay

Tom Rideout, Minister of Transportation and Works, today announced that an aircraft and a longliner will be used to transport food into the community of Norman Bay, on the south coast of Labrador.

"This time of year poses problems with accessing the community. Ice makes it difficult to get small boats in and out of the area. As well, with very little snow, traveling via snow trails is not advisable," said Minister Rideout.

This year, the Department of Transportation and Works will be transporting food via Sandy Cove on the Northern Peninsula to Charlottetown by aircraft, and on to Norman Bay by longliner. This is the first year this method has been used, and it is considerably cheaper at a cost of $1,500 in total. In 2003 the department airlifted food into Norman Bay at a cost of $8,000.

"While we are pleased to provide this service to the residents of Norman Bay, the department will be contacting the retailers in the area to try and determine a method whereby a long-term strategy can be implemented to avoid such instances of inaccessibility of food in the future," said Minister Rideout.

Ferry service to the area is scheduled to resume on June 9.

Media contact: Lori Lee Oates, Communications, (709) 729-3015

2004 05 21                                        9:10 a.m.