Federal government orders audit of ferry service between Nova Scotia and P.E.I. – Halifax | Globalnews.ca

Canada’s transport minister is ordering an audit of the ferry service between Nova Scotia and P.E.I. after a season plagued by delays and interruptions.

In a statement, Anita Anand says the service gaps on the route between Wood Islands, P.E.I., and Caribou, N.S., were “unacceptable.”

The minister says the audit will help ensure that Northumberland Ferries, the company that operates the seasonal service, has protocols in place to guarantee safe transit and to prevent future problems.

Get daily National news

Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

The federal government posted a tender for the auditing contract last week, and it closes on Feb. 6.

The ferry service across the Northumberland Strait has been inconsistent since the MV Holiday Island had to be scrapped after an on-board fire in 2022.

A replacement ferry, the MV Northumberland, arrived in Pictou, N.S., on Sunday, and officials say it is expected to be in service by the beginning of this year’s season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 27, 2025.