Campobello ferry starts seasonal run early amid trade war pressures
CBC
Residents of one New Brunswick island will have to worry less about trips to the United States as of Thursday.
The province announced that it was restarting the ferry to Campobello earlier than the usual June start due to the "ongoing tariff dispute between Canada and the United States.
"This is really important to make sure that New Brunswickers are connected to New Brunswick," said Premier Susan Holt during her weekly tariff briefing.
"And so we're really glad that that ferry is getting in the water and providing those services sooner for the people of Campobello."
The small island with a population of just under a thousand is connected by bridge to Lubec, Maine, and residents face an hour drive through the U.S. back to mainland New Brunswick when the summer ferry isn't running.
That's four border crossings just for one trip to St. Stephen or Saint John for shopping or medical appointments.
Normally the trek through Maine isn't much of a problem, but with increased tensions over the trade war, residents have been calling for better access to the rest of Canada.
While U.S. border officers have been lenient to some Campobello residents crossing without a passport, which has been formally required since 2009, that ended with Trump's return. In March, the village hosted a session for residents to get passport photos and complete documentation if theirs was expired.
Residents were also financially caught in the tariff trade war, having to pay 25 per cent on items they brought back from Maine for a month before the federal government granted island residents an exemption in early April.
That was especially helpful because the island only had one grocery store with limited supplies and no gas station, so many residents do much of their shopping in Maine.
"Our government understands the need to have a reliable transportation link to the mainland during these uncertain times," said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Chuck Chiasson in a press release.
"This is an early start and it is appreciated," said Ron Beckwith, a Campobello resident in an interview with CBC Radio's Shift.
"A lot of folks are trying hard to shop Canadian, trying to support Canada."
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