PORTLAND, Maine — Nova Scotia’s transportation minister said he’s “eager” to meet with Gov. Paul LePage later this month about how Maine might be able to help support the Nova Star luxury ferry, but no date has been set.
The ship that travels between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and Portland will have cost the province $41.5 million (Canadian) by the end of its second season, which started Monday, with no specific financial commitment from Maine.
LePage said last fall that his administration planned to submit a bill that would have allowed Maine to provide a $5 million line of credit to Nova Star Cruises, but such a bill was not submitted.
The Finance Authority of Maine sought a way to help Nova Star Cruises secure a bank loan to cover costs for the off-season, but that effort was unsuccessful.
Adrienne Bennett, spokeswoman for the governor, said in February that the administration and FAME had “exhausted all nonlegislative alternatives” to providing state funding for the service, leaving until recently the lone possibility for help from the Legislature.
Geoff MacLellan, transportation minister for the province of Nova Scotia, wrote in an email Wednesday that he plans to meet with LePage this month, though there is no set date.
“But we are certainly eager (to meet),” MacLellan said. “We don’t want to speculate on the interest of the state of Maine regarding the Nova Scotia-Maine ferry service until I talk to him face to face.”
MacLellan on Thursday told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. he’s seeking to meet with LePage during the the week of June 22.
Spokespeople for the governor’s office did not respond to emails asking whether LePage plans to meet with MacLellan and what, if anything, Maine’s executive branch can do at this point to support the ferry service.
The fate of the contract for the Maine-based consortium that operates the Nova Star is uncertain after this season as Nova Scotia officials said in May they plan to solicit proposals from other operators for a possible 2016 sailing season.
The Nova Star in its first year fell far short of its projection to have about 100,000 passengers, closing the season with about 59,000. The operators said they expect they can attract 80,000 passengers this year.
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