MP: Federal help unlikely now for damaged ferry
Sarnia-Lambton MP Marilyn Gladu continues to express frustration over the lack of federal assistance for Sombra’s Bluewater Ferry, out of service since the river service sustained approximately $2.5 million in ice damage earlier this year.
And Gladu doesn’t believe that assistance will happen any time soon because of the ferry operator’s intention to sue the government while blaming the Canadian Coast Guard for the damage. Speaking to members of the Golden K Kiwanis Club in Sarnia on Tuesday, Gladu said there are other options that might be available to restore ferry service at Sombra, including help from the province, and the possibility of another party taking a stake in the private business. “(Sarnia-Lambton MPP) Bob Bailey has approached (the Ontario government) on behalf of the Sombra ferry,” Gladu said. “There is also some potential that the province could donate a bailey bridge, which would be like a temporary structure to replace the causeway and the engineering work has been done to put that in place.” Another option, she said, could be for St. Clair Township to take ownership of the causeway. The MP, however, suggested that the federal government could have provided the necessary funding to replace the ferry causeway. “The government spent almost $10 million on an ice rink, they spent $4.5 billion on a 65-yearold pipeline asset — so it doesn’t look like they are short of money, but five cabinet ministers and the prime minister’s office refused to do anything about the situation,” Gladu said.
In other matters, the MP noted that talks about the oversized load corridor have been positive, with word that Lambton-KentMiddlesex MPP and minister of infrastructure Monte McNaughton has raised the subject with Premier Doug Ford.
“It looks like a very good project, which has already gone through federal submissions, so the province has seen all the information they need to see to approve it,” said Gladu. “Now we are waiting to see if they can make money available.” The oversized load corridor, estimated to cost $12 million, has received no federal or provincial funding to date. But Sarnia city council, in an unanimous decision on July 16, committed $4.7 million to the project.