The Cat ferry service between Nova Scotia and Bar Harbor may miss its passenger target for the 2022 season.
In this April 30, 2002, file photo, a pilot boat follows The Cat as it approaches the Ferry Terminal in Bar Harbor. Credit: Linda Coan O'Kresik / BDN

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said he’s disappointed with the passenger numbers for the provincially subsidized high-speed CAT ferry between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and Bar Harbor, Maine.

Operator Bay Ferries reported more than 35,000 ticket sales as of Sept. 1, according to the Canadian Press. The government had set a target of 60,000 passengers per season.

The provincial operating subsidy for the ferry service is $17 million.

Public Works Minister Kim Masland said officials are considering the termination of the contract with Bay Ferries that runs until 2026.

Bay Ferries said in a statement that it’s working on getting the ferry service established again after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that it expects to carry up to 41,000 passengers by Oct. 10.

This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.