The Princess of Acadia.
JOHN DeMINGS PHOTO
Year in Review
July 2006
July began with politicians and business and community leaders reacting to Bay Ferries’ announcement that it planned to end its ferry service between Digby and Saint John at the end of October.
Losing the long-standing sea link between the two ports was viewed as devastating to southwestern Nova Scotia, notably the seafood industry that delivered its product to American markets through Saint John via the ferry.
Bay Ferries cited several reasons for its decision, including high fuel prices, a drop in tourism traffic and a declining forestry industry.
Company president and CEO Mark MacDonald said Bay Ferries could no longer sustain the losses it was experiencing with the Digby-Saint John service.
Aside from the seafood sector, tourism groups were concerned about losing the ferry too.
“The whole province is going to suffer severely from this,� said a spokesperson for the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia.
Some other July headlines:
The Yarmouth Regional Hospital received an MRI unit. Mid-August was the anticipated date for the first patient to undergo an MRI procedure locally.
Yarmouth MLA and cabinet minister Richard Hurlburt was upset over various aspects of the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation’s setup in the Yarmouth visitor information centre.
Former Argyle MLA and Nova Scotia cabinet minister Neil LeBlanc was appointed consul general and would be moving to Boston.
