Less than a week after resuming service, the Walpole Island Ferry is shutting down again.
Officials say they were blindsided by word that a federal exemption for PCR testing on Canadians returning home only applies to passengers travelling by air or across land crossings, but not over water.
Lorne Loulas says being the only crossing in the region that would require a COVID test makes the ferry financially unviable.
“We’ve been down for 20 months without making any revenue, we’ve been living off borrowed money and such to stay afloat,” Loulas says. “This looked like it was something that was going to be a game changer for us, we’re going to be opened up, we’ll be able to make revenue, get back on solid ground. This light at the end of the tunnel turned out to be a train.”
Loulas says he’s had positive feedback so far from federal officials, including MP Lianne Rood’s office, and believes the issue is just an oversight.
Talks continue between ferry staff and the Canada Border Service Agency, Transport Canada, public health, and local politicians to try to resolve the issue.
