Latest news with #PamMood
CTV News
4 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Will declining ridership numbers affect the CAT Ferry's contract renewal?
The CAT Ferry is pictured in Yarmouth, N.S., on June 5, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Jonathan MacInnis) Bay Ferries has released the most recent ridership numbers for the CAT Ferry, which travels between Yarmouth, N.S., and Bar Harbor, Maine. Last month's figures show almost 13,000 reservations for this sailing season compared to over 16,500 at the same Video taken on board a little more than a week ago shows a nearly-empty ship heading to Maine. Canadians boycotting vacations to the United States in reaction to the trade war may be a reason for the drop in numbers. 'I'm actually not concerned at all with the drop in passengers because it is one way,' said Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood. Yarmouth resident Lee Corporon is retired and, to pass the time, he heads to the wharf to watch the vessel load and unload. 'I think there was 42 vehicles that just went on the boat, on the ferry, and I think two days ago when it docked, I counted 78 coming off,' he said. CATT Ferry The CAT Ferry is pictured in Yarmouth, N.S., on June 5, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Jonathan MacInnis) The province and Bay Ferries have a contract to operate the ship through next season. The province has said ridership will play a part in determining its willingness to sign a new deal. 'An economic impact study of the service is currently underway, which will inform decisions on the future of the service,' said a spokesperson for Nova Scotia's Department of Public Works in a statement to CTV News. Mood believes the drop in numbers is a blip on the radar, not a trend. 'I think they've seen that the numbers are climbing in previous years so no, not worried at all that that will be taken into consideration,' she said. 'I absolutely can't see a government shutting down an international highway to the U.S. where there's tens of millions of people.' Phillip Mooney, chair of the Yarmouth and Acadian Shores Tourism Association, says the bookings look good on the American side. He adds Yarmouth isn't the only entry point seeing a decline in Canadians heading south of the border. 'The crossings in Windsor, the crossings in British Columbia, the cancellations and disruptions of some of the air services going to the United States,' he said. The full picture will be clearer when Bay Ferries releases its updated passenger numbers, which is expected next week. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CBC
15-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Municipalities' group weighs in on N.S. coastal protection blueprint
Watch Tom Murphy's interview with Pam Mood, mayor of Yarmouth and the president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities. She said despite the Houston government scrapping the Coastal Protection Act last year, the province's announcement is "a great step forward."
CBC
26-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Houston government softens language in transportation bill
The Houston government has softened language in a bill that would give it sweeping new powers over transit and transportation infrastructure throughout the province, but the advocacy group for Nova Scotia municipalities remains concerned it still isn't enough. The original language in the proposed changes to the Joint Regional Transportation Agency Act suggested the province could unilaterally undertake projects to build or remove infrastructure, or "do anything necessary" to ensure the smooth movement of people and goods. According to Bill 24, the provincial government could simply pass on the cost of the work to a municipality once the project was completed. The Federation of Nova Scotia Municipalities, the organization that speaks for the province's municipal governments, called that original language "tremendously concerning." Amendments introduced Tuesday during debate on the bill noted the province would try to consult and negotiate with municipalities on projects it felt were necessary. "The cost of any work undertaken … shall be apportioned between the municipality and the Crown in right of the Province in the manner agreed upon by them," said one amendment. But the next amendment made it clear the province would keep its power to pass along the costs, if there was no agreement between the parties. Thrust of bill still 'a huge concern' Pam Mood, president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities, said the thrust of the bill remains "a huge concern." "What it said before is we are going to come in, we're going to tell you this is what needs to be done, we're going to tell you to do it and if you don't do it in a reasonable amount of time, we're going to come in and do it and bill you," said Mood, the mayor of Yarmouth. "But now it … basically says apportioning costs of work in a manner agreed upon. We'll have to sit down and figure out how that [will] work." The proposed legislation now says the municipal affairs minister will "make reasonable efforts" to consult the federation and municipalities "impacted by ministerial action taken pursuant to this Act." Mood wasn't impressed with that change either. "That doesn't equal doing so," she said. "When you say I'll make an effort to do something, you're saying if it happens, it happens, if it doesn't, it doesn't. That's simply not enough." During an exchange with reporters intended to explain the changes, Public Works Minister Fred Tilley downplayed how upset some municipal leaders had been with the original version of the bill. "Well, it was just discussion that we had around the way the language read," said Tilley. "So we agreed with our partners and adjusted the language accordingly to make the bill more about what we were attempting to do."
CBC
12-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Trade war will 'hurt us both,' Canadian delegation tells American municipal leaders
A Nova Scotia municipal leader on a recent Canadian delegation to Washington, D.C., says the group stressed to their American counterparts the current trade war will make life more expensive for citizens on both sides of the border. Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood was part of a Federation of Canadian Municipalities delegation that attended the National League of Cities conference on Sunday and Monday. "We're here as friends, allies, neighbours forever, to help share that message so that you understand that it is going to hurt us both," Mood said in an interview Wednesday, summing up the message they delivered. Mood said it was an "eye-opening" experience for her, and she met some mayors from the United States who didn't know tariffs had been imposed, or what their impacts would be. That's why it was especially important to spread awareness among local politicians, Mood said. She's hopeful those mayors and councillors will press their governors for change once they return home. "I think we know how politicians react when the people on the ground are screaming. It may not work with this [U.S.] administration, but we have to do everything we can," Mood said. Mood said she and the other group members, an Ottawa city councillor and the mayor of Dorval, Que., gave presentations and spoke with various municipal leaders about the reality of the tariff fight. They discussed how the price of new homes and cars will go up for both Canadian and American buyers, Mood said, and highlighted how farmers in the U.S. rely heavily on Canadian potash for their fertilizer. California cities like Los Angeles affected by devastating fires will also find it more difficult and expensive to source lumber from Canada to rebuild homes, Mood said. "The No. 1 thing we got were apologies. You know, 'We're so sorry this is happening to you. You're Canada, you've been our friend, you've been our ally,'" Mood said. "And, you know, the message back was, 'Listen, we know it's not the people, and we're sorry as well, because you're going to hurt. We're going to hurt. And none of us wants this." U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance spoke at the conference, and Mood said he focused on the importance of local governance and housing. But she said he didn't address how tariffs will lead to construction cost increases for those housing projects. Joly urges Americans to 'send a message' to White House to end tariffs 6 hours ago Duration 1:48 "I could have responded every time to say 'But that's not quite it. You know, you're leaving out the hurtful impacts,' and that's what's important to these people on the ground," Mood said. The only mention Vance made of tensions between the countries was when he said how pleased he was to see Canada moving to "tighten the border" to prevent drugs from flowing into the U.S., Mood said. President Donald Trump has cited fentanyl crossing into the U.S. from Canada as justification for his administration's tariffs. The U.S. government's own data shows Canada is not a significant source of illegal fentanyl with less than 20 kilograms of the drug seized at the northern border last year. The Canadian delegation also met with the Democratic Mayors Association, Mood said, and Columbus, Ohio, Mayor Andrew Ginther, president of the United States Conference of Mayors. Mood said they asked to meet with the Republican Mayors Association as well. They were told that group would get back to them "but they didn't." Although Mood said she understands the pressure of not wanting to upset higher levels of Republican government who "hold the chequebook," those in public service should have a loyalty to their residents first, she said. The latest volley in the trade saga came Wednesday when Trump placed a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum. In response, the Canadian government slapped tariffs
