Northumberland Ferries Limited
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Northumberland Ferries Limited (NFL) is a ferry company operating in eastern Canada and headquartered in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. NFL is also the owner of subsidiaries Bay Ferries Limited and Bay Ferries Great Lakes Limited.
NFL has operated the ferry service that carries the Trans-Canada Highway across the eastern part of the Northumberland Strait between Wood Islands, Prince Edward Island and Caribou, Nova Scotia since it was established in 1941 by the Government of Canada. This service is seasonal and only operates between the months of May and December on account of heavy sea ice and the lack of icebreaking ferries.
NFL currently operates two vessels owned by the Government of Canada: Confederation built in 1993, and Holiday Island built in 1971, joining NFL in 1997 after being declared surplus by Marine Atlantic upon completion of the Confederation Bridge. NFL also operates the ferry terminals in Wood Islands and Caribou, which are owned by the Government of Canada.
In return for operating the vessels and terminals, NFL receives a federal subsidy to offset losses. This subsidy was fully renewed for 5 years in March 2005. Transport Canada had initially proposed a reduction in funding to permit operation between the months of May and October only, and after 2008 the service was to be reduced to only one vessel. The proposed service changes raised protests in both Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia by residents and politicians, forcing the federal government to maintain the status quo.
Former ferries
Prince Nova, formerly Erie Isle (1941-1958); Charles A. Dunning, formerly Sankaty (1946-1964); Lord Selkirk (1958-1993); Confederation (1973-1993); Prince Nova (1963-1997); Prince Edward (1972-1997)