OWEN SOUND—It appears that the Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC) may consider a request from members of the Manitoulin Municipal Association (MMA) to provide for four sailings of the M.S. Chi-Cheemaun during the ship’s peak summer sailing season between South Baymouth and Tobermory.
The OSTC wrote in a statement to The Expositor, “OSTC always evaluates any additional options to increase service where possible.”
As was reported in a recent edition of The Expositor, the MMA is requesting the (OSTC) and the province to return to four daily sailings of the M.S. Chi-Cheemaun during the peak summer sailing season. While the M.S. Chi-Cheemaun saw an increase in passenger and vehicle numbers this past season, the current sailing schedule of two sailings in the summer has made it more difficult for local residents to book a ticket on a sailing, especially if it is not booked early.
Dale Scott, a Central Manitoulin councillor told members of the MMA at a meeting last week that the OSTC will soon be looking at setting its schedule for 2026. “Passenger traffic on the ferry increased 4.7 percent this year, with a 1.4 percent increase in vehicle traffic. With that type of increase the ferry is filled the majority of the time, and pre-COVID 19 there were four sailings in the summer season on the ferry. Once COVID was gone, they (OSTC) never brought the number of sailings per day back to four.”
He explained the ferry schedule saw two sailings per day and additional sailings on Fridays. “It is becoming quite difficult for local people to get on a sailing,” said Mr. Scott. “If you are taking a holiday you have to plan far ahead, and if you have to say go to a funeral in Wiarton and only have a few days notice it is difficult to get on the ferry. Do you have to drive all the way around now because the ferry is full?”
Lee Hayden, reeve of Gordon/Barrie Island township stated, “four sailings in the summer was a tradition for many years on the ferry. In the 1980s, everyone knew the times and dates that the schedule was running. The excuse (OSTC) is using is that they are only running one ship and can cover everything in this. But I agree with Dale, it is not convenient for locals who need to book a reservation on the ferry in an emergency, for instance.” He pointed out OSTC had added a second ship, the Nindawayma to its ferry schedule between Tobermory and South Baymouth years ago, but this only lasted two years.
“I agree with Dale that we should make a request for the ferry to be returned to four sailings in the summer,” said Mr. Hayden.
“The ferry is always busy regardless of what sailing time,” said Janice Bowerman, an Assiginack township councillor.
“It would do the residents of Manitoulin Island a lot of good if the sailings were increased to four sailings during the summer,” said Mr. Scott.
Richard Stephens, mayor of the municipality of Central Manitoulin said, “I don’t think it would hurt to make a request to consider adding sailings to the schedule during the summer season.”
“And if they find traffic is heavy even during the shoulder seasons, maybe they could consider having an extra sailing for the shoulder seasons,” said Mr. Scott.
The MMA passed a motion to request the OSTC and the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to consider a return to the traditional four sailings of the Chi-Cheemaun during the peak summer sailing season.
