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Hamilton Spectator

Fogo and Change Islands residents want answers for when MV Veteran will return

The MV Veteran ferry has been out of service to be refitted for a new engine since Jan. 28, 2025, and discontent is growing among islanders on Fogo and Change Islands as they continue to wait for its return. The MV Astron and MV Kamutik W are currently servicing the run, but as the end of May nears, the Kamutik will have to return to Labrador. Both Fogo and Change Islands experience major population increases during the summer months when seasonal visitors make their return. It won't be long before the tourism season is in full swing, and many businesses on both islands — not to mention the fishery — rely on their summer income to sustain themselves during the off season. The lack of updates and information on when the Veteran is expected to return has left many residents feeling frustrated and worried. The Fogo Island ferry users committee (FIFU) has been doing everything it can to reach out and get some kind of response. PC MHA Jim McKenna has brought these concerns to the House of Assembly and questioned Transportation Minister Elvis Loveless, and was told that a response would be imminent in the next week or so. However, that's not good enough for residents who are continuing to wait anxiously over what the decision will be. 'Our tourism is pretty much here,' explained Jarrod Oglan, FIFU chair. 'People are starting to come and go as is, and we're seeing a big increase in the number of trailer campers that are coming, as well as the big motorhome RVs. Those are taking up a bunch of space on the boat as is, and there's the fishery in full swing, so that's causing a lot of traffic.' Without a reliable, adequate boat, there's no way that the system can operate properly, he added. The ferry must be large enough to handle tractor-trailers and RVs, as well as the fishermen who are going back and forth with their equipment and their boats, Oglan said. When there's insufficient space onboard, a tractor-trailer or RV can take up the space of multiple cars, bumping off individuals who may be trying to make important appointments. The co-op is also going to have products coming and going that will need to be prioritized. 'Lobsters going off the island, crab coming on the island, and just sales in general of the product that needs to get from one place to another,' he said. 'There's people that normally would sell to the co-op that have not done so this year because of the ferry situation. There's a lot of residents here who have rental properties who have seen a decline in their reservations or flat-out cancellation because of the ferry situation.' Shirlene MacArthur, an annual visitor to Fogo Island, has said that this year may be her last. MacArthur's husband is from Tilting on Fogo, and they began visiting the island together about a decade ago when her daughter bought an investment property in Joe Batt's Arm that they later named Blue Haven. 'She doesn't come out too often, but we go out every summer,' she explained. 'I think the only summer we missed was during COVID.' Living in Alberta has made the annual summer trip already fairly arduous. But, over the years, MacArthur explained that the unreliability of the ferry service has only worsened and made their travels that much more complicated. 'The only problem we ever expected to encounter was volume, that there was so much traffic in the summer that we may not get out on the boat,' she said. 'But we never, ever had the problem that the boat wouldn't be running.' There was a time when both MacArthur and her husband thought they would retire to the island, but with the constant inconsistencies and lack of communication with the ferry system, it just seems too risky. MacArthur is already fully retired and her husband is semi-retired. With existing health concerns, she said it just doesn't seem safe enough. 'I guess we're bound for Alberta forever,' she said. While in the past they have encouraged everyone they know to make the trip out to Fogo and experience its beauty for themselves, they feel much less inclined to do so now. When talking about it now, they warn of the potential complications and delays. 'We've promoted the island for years,' she said. 'We've had friends from all over put it on their schedule for vacation and come and visit. 'We have friends coming from Ireland, but this, to be honest, is the last year we're suggesting it.' This exact response is what seasonal workers on the island are fearing the most. McKenna said annual visitors have been deciding not to make the trip out for a couple of years now because of the ferry system. 'At this time of year, this is when people in this area make their living. We're a community of fishermen and seasonal workers, and we rely on tourists. We rely on a ferry that can get people here, get product here and off the island in the summertime,' Oglan added. 'It is vital that it runs properly, and if it can't, then we have a situation where it's affecting our economy. And the thing is, it's more than just a transportation issue. It's an economic issue.' In a worst-case scenario, if the Veteran is not returned to the run for the tourism season, there is going to be a lot of lost revenue, said Oglan. 'It's going to look like a major blow to our economy and a real setback for the island — not just for now, but for years to come,' he said. 'Because you're going to have a lot of tourists and a lot of businesses that are not going to want to deal with Fogo Island because of the fact that there's so much uncertainty based around the ferry that it's impossible for them to actually either properly make their business happen or logistically for tourists to be able to come out here and visit and help boost our economy.' He hopes to hear in the next week or so from the transportation department that the Veteran will return, but more than anything, they simply want an answer. To help alleviate some of the lack of communication, McKenna has suggested a shore-based manager as a potential solution. While Oglan agrees that someone in such a position could be beneficial, it will depend on whether they're given the power to actually make decisions. Change Islands Mayor Paula Flood is more focused on the need for new infrastructure and resources, rather than a shore-based manager. 'It's kind of hard to have a shore-based manager for two islands unless you're going to put one on each one. I don't see the need. The Department of TI is very responsive to concerns and issues. The issue is docking and need for infrastructure upgrades. That's the only thing to fix the situation,' she said. 'They don't have sufficient boats and swing vessels when another boat is being serviced or down, they don't have suitable boats for the run. And let me preface that, it's not really the boat's problem. We don't have a breakwater here in Change Islands. They have a breakwater over in Fogo. So the issue is the wind when they're docking. If we had a breakwater, the boats would be able to dock.' Residents on both islands understand that they have chosen to live in communities that are dependent on weather and ferries, she said. However, the boats that are currently on contract simply are not suitable for the run. 'We need boats that are suitable for the Fogo-Change Islands run, ones that can run in high winds,' she said. 'That's our problem. We've never had so many days where the boat never sailed, as in the past two years. It's been unreal. Sometimes there's two and three days in a row when there's no boat. 'People say, 'Oh, what are you living on an island for?' We all live on an island. You live on an island in Newfoundland. If you want to get off, you have to get on a ferry or plane. So we all are equal in that sense. It's just that there could be improvements made.' Being left without answers is only further exacerbating the existing frustrations among locals. As of May 13, the department had said that pack ice along the north coast of Labrador is preventing the MV Kamutik W from operating at this time. It promised an update on all provincial ferry allocations will be available in the coming weeks. In terms of infrastructure repairs, they added that 'The department regularly reviews ferry operations throughout the province, including an assessment of upgrades needed for any of its wharf structures. This assessment is currently underway and an update will be provided once a final decision has been made. 'Safety is paramount and must always be at the forefront of the operation of our ferry services. Ferry users are reminded to check the ferry schedule via the NL511 mobile app, or call 511.' More recently, the department has re-emphasized that 'decisions on the allocation of ferries throughout the province very near future.' When those decisions will be announced is still unknown. Nevertheless, McKenna is hoping a response will be given soon. 'I'm optimistic there's going to be a response,' he said. 'But what that response is, is what we're all concerned about.' Anasophie Vallee is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering Indigenous and rural issues.