OTTAWA, (Dec. 22, 2004) — Natural Resources Minister R. John Efford on behalf of Transport Canada announced a two-year freeze on rates charged by Marine Atlantic Inc., which provides ferry services between North Sydney, N.S. and Port Aux Basques, Nfld.

The freeze, which will be in effect from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2006, was recommended by an advisory committee recently created struck to examine the future of Marine Atlantic Inc.

“This move should give confidence to the users of Marine Atlantic’s ferry services that the Government of Canada has heard their concerns and is responding in a positive way to help stabilize the service over the long term,” said Minister Efford in a press release. “Keeping rates at the current level will ensure the continued affordability of Marine Atlantic’s services to both private and commercial users, and provide certainty to the trucking and tourist industries so they can better plan their business activities over the next two years.”

In November, Transport Canada announced the formation of the advisory committee, which was charged with studying a wide range of issues to identify long-term strategies for stabilizing the crown corporation’s ferry service operations. The committee will hold consultations with stakeholders in January 2005, and is expected to provide the Minister with a final report by March 31, 2005.

There have been a number of independent truckers and associations pressing the ferry service to improve services, Today’s Trucking has reported over the last several months.

Several truckers have complained publicly and held protests over what they claim is unfair loading procedures and Marine Atlantic’s unwillingness to increase capacity for roll-on commercial traffic.

Those incidents led to meetings between the Owner-Operators’ Business Association of Canada and its Newfoundland caucus, the Newfoundland & Labrador Independent Truckers Association, and Marine Atlantic. The talks were intended to smooth over the operational and service concerns voiced by the frustrating truckers.

Marine Atlantic President Roger Flood admitted after that meeting that the company could do a better job in some of areas to improve service to its roll-on customers. He agreed to look at new ways of improving traffic flow and scheduling, addressing some safety concerns, and policy clarification.