NL Gulf Ferry Coalition Concerned about Threat to Marine Atlantic Essential Service Status

St. John’s, NL, June 1, 2026 – As a group of likeminded industry leaders who champion the growth of the Newfoundland and Labrador economy, we are concerned that the Marine Atlantic ferry service is at risk of losing its essential service status.
 
We recently learned of an application before the Canada Industrial Relations Board that requests the removal of Marine Atlantic’s essential service designation and that would allow for a significant reduction in the service offering to and from the province. The proposed application has the potential to reduce Marine Atlantic’s ferry service by 90+ per cent.
 
As it stands, our constitutionally mandated ferry system falls short of meeting the traffic offering as required through the Terms of Union with Canada. Any reduction in ferry service capacity could have detrimental consequences for residents, businesses, and supply chains. A reduction of this magnitude would have immediate and long-term impacts and could permanently damage our province’s economy along with the prosperity and well-being of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
 
Marine Atlantic is critical to all aspects of life in our province. It is the highway that connects us to the rest of Canada. The business community, employees, suppliers, residents, and visitors all rely on this system. Access to Newfoundland and Labrador, including the free movement of food, goods and people, is essential to the province’s economic prosperity, health, and safety.
 
Newfoundland and Labrador is the only province where someone decides whether our TransCanada highway is open or not. It is simply unacceptable.