Bar Harbor extends Bay Ferries lease to October 2026

“We’re excited about the future, despite what we’ve all been through, and excited about the prospects of the service returning.” Mark MacDonald Bay Ferries CEO

A request to the town of Bar Harbor from Bay Ferries' CEO to extend the company's lease for the Cat ferry to October 2026 has been approved.

Company CEO Mark MacDonald made a presentation to the town council on Dec. 7, explaining that the original five-year lease span was to create a sufficiently long "runway" for the ferry service to re-establish its viability, feasibility and sustainability in Bar Harbor, Maine.

However, the ferry has yet to operate a season in Bar Harbor, after switching its U.S. port from Portland to here.

The ferry service did not run in 2019 due to construction required at the Bar Harbor terminal, and could not sail in 2020 or 2021 as the COVID pandemic closed the international Canada-US border.

During the presentation, Bar Harbor Coun. Jill Goldthwait asked MacDonald about the summer service.

"Your document says that you plan daily service in July and August," she noted.

MacDonald replied that under current projection of the 2022 schedule, daily service would begin June 22 and continue on until after Labour Day.

Pending approval, the season's service itself would start in mid-May, running four days a week at that time.

After Labour Day in September and into October, the service would operate six days a week.

“We're excited about the future, despite what we've all been through, and excited about the prospects of the service returning,” said MacDonald.

Bay Ferries is also seeking an extension on its contract with the Nova Scotia government and with the Town of Yarmouth where it leases the terminal.