ST. JOHN’S, Nfld. – Tom Rideout, Minister of Transportation and Works, and Paul Shelley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation welcomed the establishment of an advisory committee to examine the future of Marine Atlantic.

“Government welcomes this week’s announcement on the future of the gulf ferry service. Our government has sent a strong and consistent message to the federal government that it has a constitutional obligation to Newfoundland and Labrador to provide this ferry service at rates that are not economically prohibitive to its users,” said Rideout.

The advisory committee’s objective of identifying long-term strategies for the service is in keeping with our government’s goal of developing long-term solutions for the province’s economy, said Rideout.

“The gulf ferry service is our highway to mainland Canada and there are many industries and stakeholders within the province that are dependant on this service,” he said.

The ferry service provided by Marine Atlantic is both a significant transportation and economic enabler as approximately 65 per cent of goods transported to the island portion of the province are carried by this service and many exports are shipped to their markets by this service.