Full service restored to Pelee Island
The MV Pelee Islander II ferry started running at full service Monday to Pelee Island after officials with the Ministry of Transportation stepped in to work with the ferry operator.
Mayor Ray Durocher and members of township council met recently with representatives from the MTO and the Owen Sound Transportation Company to voice their concerns with the larger ferry running only every other week.
On off weeks, the smaller 61-year-old Pelee Islander ferry has been pressed into service.
Durocher said the inadequate service provided by the smaller ferry was costing the island 50 per cent of its tourist-based economy.
“Getting the PI2 back in full service was a real team effort, both on and off island,” said Pelee deputy mayor Dave Dawson who was part of Monday's meeting with MTO operations director Geoffrey Gladdy and OSTC chairperson Marta Leardi-anderson.
Durocher told The Windsor Star that the OSTC needed to hire a chief marine engineer for the Pelee Islander II before it could run every week.
No one from the MTO was available to speak with The Star Monday but senior issues adviser Michael O'morrow sent an email response.
“The OSTC was experiencing an unexpected crew shortage to operate the Pelee Islander II,” O'morrow wrote. “MTO and the OSTC are happy to report that all required crew positions including the marine engineer have been hired and the Pelee Islander II will operate weekly for the remainder of this sailing season.”
While there are other issues around ferry service to the island, Dawson said the first priority was getting the Pelee Islander II back every week.
“I didn't ask what the details were, I don't want to look back,” he said. “We requested they run the boat and they are running the boat.”
Last summer, the larger ferry was able to operate with 115 passengers and 10 crew as directed by COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
“We survived COVID last summer and had a pretty good tourist season with 115 but we would really like to see it go up to 200,” Dawson said.
Officials at Monday's meeting did not disclose Step 3 passenger totals but Dawson would like officials to consider including the capacity count for ferry service that operated PRE-COVID to Sandusky, OH into the Ontario mainland run.
Getting the PI2 back in full service was a real team effort, both on and off island.
“Thirty-six per cent of our households are U.S. owned,” he said. “On Aug. 9 all those people are going to drive around to Kingsville to get on the ferry. We're going to need the extra capacity.”
The federal government announced Monday that fully vaccinated Americans could cross into Canada for non-essential visits Aug. 9. Dawson noted the dock used for the Sandusky service is not ready to operate. Islanders are still hoping to get the “two-ferry service” they've been promised in the past but the Jiimann ferry hasn't run since 2019.
“The Jiimaan is currently out of service because of internal structural corrosion issues,” O'morrow said. “We are currently evaluating the future of the Jiimaan in the Pelee Island service taking into consideration required upgrades and traveller and crew safety.” Dawson remains hopeful.
“I'm a pretty positive person,” he said. “These are just the first baby steps. We are working towards getting Pelee the ferry service it deserves.”