My husband and I finally decided to take the ferry from New England, to visit Nova Scotia for the first time, only to find that ferry service has been discontinued. One of the chief reasons we chose to visit NS was because of the ferry journey, so we're now considering other destinations. What a disappointment! Truly hoping it's up and running again someday soon.

We go to Prince Edward Island every year for a month. We used to enjoy taking the ferry to Yarmouth and visiting several cities in Nova Scotia before going to PEI. We have not been to Nova Scotia since the ferry closed. We now drive up to St. Stephen and then directly to Prince Edward Island. If the ferry returned we would definitely take it and spend several nights and spent lots of money in Nova Scotia. We eagerly await its return.

My family fell in love with Nova Scotia in 2000 when we bought property and eventually built near the Shelburne/Lockeport area. We still spend as much of the summer as possible in God Country driving from NJ but the loss of the Scotia Prince and then the CAT meant that we really had to plan for the long drive though ME, NB and Nova Scotia. Loss of the ferry did not allow us "Weekend escapes" which we would do frequently. The loss of the ferry discouraged us who have a home there, it certainly discouraged other curiosity, adventure seekers. The Scotia Prince's overnight run was affordable and relaxing with plenty of distracting entertainment options for us. Because it was a slower speed, it had less fuel costs and was more affordable. We have seen many businesses close up since the loss of the ferries which breaks our hearts. Nova Scotia has SO MUCH to offer to her brothers and sisters in the States but needs to be more accessible. I know that the weakened US Dollar and new Passport Regs also had an effect but the Overnight from Portland to Yarmouth cut the driving by more than half and we could spend the night on the Scotia Prince rather than have to pay for a motel (not nearly as fun). We are at a chicken and egg stage. We must have an affordable accessible way to reach the South Shore to bring tourists so that investment can be made locally to raise it's appeal. Driving all the way around is not for the light hearted. The Ferry will encourage more visitors and passers through. We are thrilled to see the Provincial Government has come back to it's senses and understands that the Ferry subsidy is an investment with big dividends to the province. We look forward to the reestablishment of the Portland-Yarmouth Ferry and, thereby, rejuvenation of the South Shore as gateway to the rest of the Province.

As a private citizen and tourist to NS, my family and I would take advantage of the easy connection through Portland ME (less than 6 hour drive from Island of Montreal) to see the sights in NS as a vacation destination. As well, for my business, it would also be an attraction to avoid air travel and use my personal car to see clients all through NS. Again, at less than 6 hours drive from Montreal, the ferry connection was very convenient, plus the wonderment of traveling the high seas on a fast boat (The CAT) or leisurely (Scotia Prince) with an overnight cruise (and a comfortable room). Please bring back the ferry connection, even just for Canadians to stay connected to each other. John Dykeman Kirkland QC

My parents were born in Nova Scotia and I was born in the States. We travelled as a family to Nova Scotia every summer from when I was an infant (on the Bluenose from Bar Harbor) to my teen years when I became a reluctant sailor and took the Air Canada flight from Boston to Yarmouth while my parents and siblings took the ferry from either Bar Harbor or Portland. Most of my relatives still live in Nova Scotia and my parents have not made the trip since the ferry service stopped running. When my parents heard of the possibility of ferry service returning, they said that they would maybe be able to make "one last trip" to visit the relatives, since they are getting up in years. The loss of ferry service between Maine and Nova Scotia has been a crushing blow to the southwestern part of Nova Scotia and an incredible inconvenience to those of us in New England with relatives in Nova Scotia. It is also a shame that tourists who have never seen Nova Scotia may be discouraged from ever experiencing the sheer beauty of that great province!

The Yarmouth-New England Ferry connects to a market of 313 million people, not "70 million", and the richest economy (by GNP) in the World.

Now that the province has indicated welcome support, it's time to put pressure on the federal government to assure that this initiative gets a fair chance. The Yarmouth-New England "ferry' run has been a national asset since 1855, and the federal government has a very affordable obligation here, in the interests of the long-term economy of the region.

i recently purchased a summer home in the yarmouth area. i have been travelling to the area for years and am so disappointed that the ferry no longer runs. my parents are much older and do not fly, and i was so looking forward to driving them back east (we live in california) and then taking the ferry over. please, please, please bring back the ferries. it will help the economy of the area immensely as many are avoiding the trip now because of difficulty in travelling to the area. it will boost the local economy once again in a much needed time, and bring more tourism back to the area so that others can enjoy the beauty of the region!

Sept 8,2012 Many thanks for the update re: the ferry! I am so cautiously optimistic/excited that this will come to pass! Also, many thanks to all those involved in the past and going forward. Keep up the good work and please continue the updates. Diane Frost

We first visited Nova Scotia 10 years ago and immediately fell in love with the land, the shore, the people, the food, the music, the history, everything! We came back, bought our piece of heaven, and thank God were able to build a small cottage. We have visited multiple times each year, spending more and more time each year. Then came the closing of the ferry from Maine to Yarmouth. It has added an entire additional day to our trip up and a day back. Four days to and from Nova Scotia is a hardship! Please, please bring back the Ferry! Your friends from the States, Pat and Rita Joyce

A few years ago on an October trip from Atlanta to the North East, my wife and I planned to visit Nova Scotia. This was something we had looked forward to for years. We missed the ferry because it had shut down early for the winter. Little did we know we would never get the chance again. What a huge loss this is not just for all the lost jobs (at a time when we desperately need jobs!), but to my wife and me. As we are aging, travel is becoming more difficult. This is a lost opportunity for memories we could have shared later in life when "travel" means only for a doctor's visit.

I will likely bypass going to Nova Scotia on my road trip because of the driving distance involved. Will most likely opt for Maine only, possibly a straight shot to PEI instead. I'm coming from New York. Very sad that the ferry no longer runs.

This is a service that needs to be restored. If the person could see the terrible impact it has had on Yarmouth and the South Shore they would be shocked. Cutting out a link to one of the richest nations was a bad choice.

My wife and I wanted to go to Nova Scotia this coming Summer (2013). However, with the cancellation of the Ferry, My wife does not want to go because of the driving distance. Please bring the Ferry back!!! I looked forward to a ride on "The Cat" We saw it in 1999 when we visited Bar Harbor and again in 2006 when we docked in Bar Harbor on a cruise. It looked different and exciting and looked forward to a trip on the Ship. However, even a traditional Motor Ship would eliminate hundreds of miles of useless driving. Please restore ferry service between Bar Harbor and Yarmouth. I look forward to the fantastic countryside and quaint villages in Nova Scotia and another visit to Bar Harbor. Please try real hard and advise me via e-mail if service is restored. You will have two instant clients. Joe

My family has wanted to go to Nova Scotia for years but once the ferry service stopped, we kept postponing it. This year we decided to drive there from the Boston area as the direct flights are incredibly expensive plus you have to rent a car. Our trip was amazing as it is truly "God's Country" out there. Our time there was cut a little short because of the long drive. When this ferry is reinstated (from Portland or Boston), Nova Scotia will be on the top of our summer vacation list. Everyone we showed our pictures to also has it on there list now but the ferry will be key for all of us. I don't think I would make that drive again as it was very long.

I am so disappointed! I have 2 children and we have been hoping for a family vacation of Maine and Nova Scotia for years. We were waiting for the kids to get old enough (out of diapers). We are there now, but our Portland boat is gone! For tourism with small children, the boat was a huge advantage. Without it, I don't see us going for many years. Hope it returns! Jane Boston, MA, USA

We own a vacation cabin in Shelburne Co and have celebrated and enjoyed the property for some 35 years. Since we are getting older, the extended drive to St John, NB for the ferry is more taxing on us and can see in oncoming years that this will definitely impact the frequency of our vacations. Also we have hosted guests who have happily visited us because of the ease of using the Portland ferry. It is highly unlikely that these guests will make the drive to St. John. Since the stopping of the Maine/Yarmouth ferry,we have seen a definite sad decline of the financial health of Yarmouth and Shelburne. Speaking to restauant owners, they are devastated by the lack of tourists to the southwestern part of the N.S. ( It seems that most tourists arriving on the Digby ferry make a quick beeline to Halifax and points east. I certainly appeal to both governments to reinstate some type of ferry service between both countries.

As a property owner at Anapolis Royal since the early 1990s our annual trips were a special event. We would bring our truck and prepare the property for a building site. Hoping to retire some day. Since the demise of the Portland ferry we haven't been back. We used to spend a thousand or so dollars between fees and travel expenses and then another thousand or so on fuel, food and beer. We need another ferry either from Portland or Boston desperately to be able to justify our future home. Driving all the way from Cape Cod is like driving to Chicago....it simply is not feasible. The economy of Nova Scotia must be devastated without the hundreds of thousands of dollars from tourism.!

We live in the Portland Maine area and used the Scotia Prince extensively. My father and I own my father’s childhood home in Nova Scotia, Kings County. The CAT was a nice experience from Bar Harbor, but not something I would do regularly. The Prince was half the price of the CAT running from Portland and it was far more comfortable on the Prince, as well. What a loss the Prince was. We knew that in 2004/5! Nearly all points of interest to tourists exist far closer to Halifax than Yarmouth. Digby puts people only 1 hour from Yarmouth. Digby ferry travels 30 miles of water for almost as much as the Prince charged for over 250 miles, I think it is. The Prince was the most economical of all options. Dibgy was about 25% cheaper but over 8 times less the distance (800 percent higher price). That price is way out of line. Halifax is 1.25 hours from Kings county. It is closer to Caribou and Pictou, leading to PEI. Even Lunenburg is not that far from Halifax. Halifax is far closer to Cape Breton. Almost any place you really want is better reached by Halifax than other options. It would seem to us that Halifax would make the most sense for attracting any tourist and creating adventures from there. We would love to see a Halifax ferry. Since all points in the USA end at Maine, it seems the most likely place to service Halifax from. We are partial to that, living in Portland. I am sure Canadian tourists prefer Portland to Bar Harbor and maybe Portland rather than Boston, since Portland is smaller and far less intimidating than Boston. We hope that since Nova Scotia has to start from scratch again, that sound thinking will lead to a more profitable model to serve NS. For that matter, if one rules out Halifax to say, Portland; why not Portland to Digby? Yarmouth shared its terminal with 2 ferries. Why not Digby? It leaves you 1.5 hours from Kings County and 2.75 to Halifax. Its not Halifax, but it is better than Yarmouth and still close enough to Yarmouth (1 hour) to even make it accessible, too. Its time to think outside the box with a clean slate. Think about it !

3 years ago we bought property in the Yarmouth area as our planned retirment location to build , live and build a business. Just after the purchase we saw the CAT Ferry close. Our intent to purchase was two fold , with hopes that our property value would stay constant or increase in value and to open a business right in Yarmouth. Those hopes and dreams faded quickly after with the closure of the Ferry. This direct link to main land USA was a key foothold for tourism and potential land development from state side which would have been lucritive NOT only for business owners , but as well in tax payments that would have been federal and provincial bound as we would live , breath and spend money in the area. Well talk about cutting off your own foot - for the government to close the ferry not only impacts Nova Scotianers but if you think about it , it also impacts what wealth could have been realised in both the provincial and federal economic growth for the region. It is our very striong belief that this ferry is an absolute requirement to generate long term growth and stability in the region as well as province wide . Mr. Harper , you say you are a man that believes in growth and wealth for CANADA - Yarmouth is part Canada and is part of that action plan , please get the ferry on line and Nova Scotia will make you proud!