By Nathalie Sturgeon

The Campobello ferry is in the water a month early. 

In New Brunswick, it is the only island without a year-round ferry. It means residents, nearly 900 of them, are required from September to June to travel through the United States via a bridge to Lubec, ME. 

“What it means to me is that they’re actually taking initiative and caring for people on Campobello,” said Mayor Harvey Matthews. 

Matthews met with New Brunswick Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Chuck Chiasson on board the Campobello Island ferry to discuss the islanders’ ongoing concerns. 

The Campobello ferry allows residents to travel from the island to Deer Island and then tothe  mainland. (Florence Mitchell/The Courier)

“I think the islanders are a little upset maybe when there’s a fee and talking to the minister here a minute ago, he said he’s not looking to maybe be able to reduce it or something, but we’ll see what happens there,” Matthews said. 

East Coast Ferries operates the ferry. According to its website, the fee per trip is $25 per vehicle plus $5 per passenger. 

He explained he feels that the relationship between islanders and the U.S. has improved since the initial outset of the trade war. 

Matthews said for grocery trips, the ferry is less ideal, given the fees, but also the length of trip and having to take another ferry off Deer Island to get back to the mainland. 

“The services and commercial tariffs are still on, so it opens up that option to go places that,” he said, pointing to a commercial business that boarded the ferry with him. 

Early in April, residents on Campobello Island were granted a “special exemption from previous tariff countermeasures on U.S. consumer and household products.”

Islanders are required to travel through the United States when the ferry is not operational in the winter. (Florence Mitchell/The Courier)

Minister Chuck Chiasson said he feels the residents advocated for what they needed. 

“I think it’s the people of Campobello who really wanted an alternative to crossing into Maine,” he said. “It was getting to be a little arduous and worrisome for them. I think it was that. It was just the need that was there, and we wanted to fill that need.” 

Chiasson estimates it’ll cost about $6,000 per day to operate the ferry, with the expectation that the fees will offset some of those expenses. 

He said the government continues to look at options for more long-term solutions. 

“We certainly want to accommodate the people of Campobello as best we can,” Chiasson said. “Whether that’s going to translate into a year-round service, I’m not sure the practicality of all of that, but that’s certainly something that could be looked at.” 

Meanwhile, Matthews said he has invited the entire Holt cabinet to come to the island and see for themselves. 

“Take my boat, take a sail under the bridge, show them what needs to be done there,” he said. 

Ferry information can be found on the East Coast Ferries website, and Deer Island’s schedule can be found on the Coastal Transport website.