Halifax ferry users left scrambling again amid latest service interruptions

Transit users were left scrambling during the Wednesday morning rush hour when ferry service between Halifax and Dartmouth’s Alderney terminal was cancelled suddenly.

On social media, Halifax Transit initially called the cancellation an “ongoing situation.” That afternoon, the agency told Global News that there was a medical emergency on board.

Passengers, meanwhile, were left feeling confused and frustrated.

“It’s terrible, even with the buses,” one commuter told Global News. “It’s inconsistent. I work downtown a lot, and I have to wait an hour or two to get home.”

Mayoral candidates Waye Mason and Pam Lovelace — both of whom are sitting councillors — say the ferry service is integral to transportation in the municipality.

They agree changes need to be made.

“Where I see the ferry in the very short term is we’re hiring nine more staff, including deckhands and engineers, which will mean we’ll have people on the shore waiting if someone calls in sick or can’t work,” said Coun. Mason, who represents downtown Halifax.

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“But the long term vision is to have five ferries going to Bedford in three years, and then to replicate that going into the bottom of Larry Uteck and into Shannon Park, because the ferry system is critical to our rapid transit plans.”

There’s a sense of urgency to fix the problem because a long-awaited project to add a Bedford ferry connection to the transit system is expected to be completed in the 2027-28 fiscal year.

“The ferry service isn’t adequate as it stands right now. We don’t have the number of staff we need to operate, and with new service coming to the Bedford terminal, we need to look at how we operate that service,” said Coun. Lovelace, who represents Hammonds Plains.

Ferry service interruptions have become commonplace in recent months, as the municipality struggles with staffing shortages.

Ray MacKenzie, president of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 508, told Global News in April that workers were burning out and could not keep up with demand.

“We want safety. We want better quality of work,” MacKenzie said.

“Ferry is going on a crew where they don’t have a leeway if someone goes sick.”

The situation is enough for Coun. Lovelace to call for an “overhaul” of how transit is operated.

“I’m really concerned that we haven’t addressed this appropriately with federal and provincial governments,” she said.