The Strait of Belle Isle ferry service - an essential transportation link for the general public and the business community - will commence Thursday if ice conditions permit. This marks the earliest start ever to the spring schedule.

The Honourable John Hickey, Minister of Transportation and Works, and Minister Responsible for Labrador Affairs, made the announcement today.

The Straits is serviced by the Apollo ferry, which travels between St. Barbe and Blanc Sablon. Minister Hickey advises that the Department of Transportation and Works has requested the Canadian Coast Guard deploy an ice breaker to clear passage in the area.

"The early start of the service allows users to travel during Easter vacation and enables businesses to avail of the service to transport their goods," said Minister Hickey. "We have been monitoring the situation and feel ice conditions are now at a point where the service can resume without significant interruptions. This government is committed to providing the most effective transportation service possible for the people of Labrador."

Pius Walsh, factory manager of Labrador Choice Seafoods Ltd. in Charlottetown, Labrador, was thrilled to hear today�s announcement. He noted that his business will no longer have to charter planes to transport his goods. "This is great news for us," said Mr. Walsh. "We can now start to get our supplies in to get our shrimp factory ready to accept shrimp from our suppliers next month."

Including last season�s 38-day extension, the Apollo schedule has been extended a total of at least 46 days at a cost of $1.1 million. The Apollo service will continue until January/February when ice conditions dictate otherwise.

Ferry users are advised that sailing times listed on the spring schedule will now commence on Thursday. A copy of the provincial ferry schedules is available at www.gov.nl.ca/tw/ferryservices/schedules.stm.

This is the latest initiative in government�s ongoing revitalization of the provincial ferry service. Last month, government invested $1.5 million to reduce passenger and vehicle-plus-driver fares on provincial ferries to bring them in line with road equivalency costs and cancelled the five per cent, across the board, rate increase for all fares that was scheduled to take effect April 1, 2007.  

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2007 04 03                                                      11:25 a.m.