P.E.I. ferry problem must be resolved 'as quickly as possible'

P.E.I.'s opposition party is calling on the province to push the federal government to view repairs on the MV Holiday Island as a "top priority."

• Trucking, tourism could be hit by ferry troubles

The Holiday Island is part of Northumberland Ferries service betweenWood Islands, P.E.I., and Caribou, N.S.

Belfast-Murray River Progressive Conservative MLA Darlene Compton is concerned about how operating only one ferry will economically impact the eastern end of P.E.I. She saidshe has also heard from Northumberland Ferries workers worried about their seasonal jobs.

"We look toward the minister of transportation [Marc Garneau]to push that the work is done as quickly as possible," Compton said Wednesday.

"And, if you look back to earlier in the spring when [the federal government]changed the eligibility for collector roads, they changed the eligibility for inter-provincial ferries. So, there is infrastructure dollars there."

More steel work

On Monday, Northumberland Ferries announcedthe vessel needs more steel work than expected andwouldn't be available for service beginning on Friday as scheduled. The other vessel, theMV Confederation, will sail five times each day, as opposed to the scheduled nine crossings when the Holiday Island is in serviceduring peak season.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Biking to Comic-Con: Epic cross-continent journey combines 2 loves
• MORE P.E.I NEWS |Impaired driving arrest follows gas pump near miss