Vessel sought to replace Christian Island ferry

By Gisele Winton Sarvis Barrie Examiner

Christian Island’s 800 residents have no way to transport vehicles and heavy goods now that its car-carrying ferry the M.V. Sandy Graham has been taken out of service.

Transport Canada deemed the ferry unsafe May 7. During testing, it no longer met safety requirements and showed significant metal deterioration.

The vessel is 61 years old and needs extensive steel work that could take four years to complete and likely be cost prohibitive.

“Usually ferries are taken out of service after 30 years, we’re double that,” said Chief Roland Monague, who has been fighting for a new ferry since he became chief in 2010.

The Sandy Graham was purchased from Virginia in 1998 to provide temporary passenger and vehicle transportation (98-passenger and 28-vehicle capacity), until a new ferry was built for the community.

The vessel has been experiencing issues for a long time, prompting Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett to say in February she and her department were working on a solution.

Monague has so far been unsuccessful in getting Bennett to a meeting on Christian Island, despite her having a cottage in the Penetanguishene area, but a meeting is scheduled in Toronto Friday.

When Bennett was in opposition, she promised the First Nation a new ferry, but since she has been in power, there hasn’t been any action, he said.

“It’s been very frustrating. She met with us a month ago,” said Monague.

People are moving back and forth from the island to the main land using the smaller, 30-year-old M.V. Indian Maiden but only provides passenger service for a maximum of 70 people.

Monague said it’s a hassle for everyone to have to hand bag their groceries on the Indian Maiden. People’s groceries are getting mixed up and going missing as they all get piled in one spot.

“It’s always an inconvenience when there’s no ferry,” he said.

Smaller craft have not been used, as high water levels have destroyed small docks and there is no space for boats at the main wharf.

“The docks were due for replacement a year ago,” he said.

Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton said the former Stephen Harper government in its last term directed $1.8 million to Beausoliel First Nation toward a vessel purchase. (The Ministry of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada also provides Beausoliel First Nation with $1.1 million in annual funding for ferry operations and maintenance.)

“They concluded that the matter of a replacement ferry was a sufficiently serious and urgent nature for reasons of health and safety and for the livelihood of community members this ferry would be a priority,” Stanton said.

Those funds were directed from the ministry toward the purchase of a replacement ferry in Alabama in 2013. Retrofit on a vessel built in 1970 began.

But legal difficulty with the contractor has put the vessel’s refit behind by 18 months.

“This should have been done by now,” said Monague.

A new contractor has now been found and the vessel is at a different dry dock in Alabama. It is expected to be complete by September.

In the interim, Monague through the Ministry and Transport Canada have been searching for a vessel to lease.

“The price has been ridiculous dealing with people in Ontario,” said Monague, saying they have a line on a vessel outside of Ontario.

However, the issue of the island First Nation having a new, ice-breaking vessel goes back about 15 years.

In the early 2000s, the band explored building a causeway between the mainland and Christian Island as well as a new ferry and upgrades to the wharf areas.

“The causeway was out of the picture in terms of cost. They initially started engineer work on a brand new ferry and that project was going to run close to $30 million,” Stanton said.

In 2004, the Ministry was prepared to spend $30 million on the ferry but the funds never came and by 2007 the project was officially shelved, said Monague.

“When I became chief in 2010 I began fighting to get it back on the table.”

Stanton said, “It wasn’t until 2011 that the government ultimately agreed to purchasing another used vessel that would require a retrofit and funding was approved for just under $2 million for a $3 million vessel.”

The last time the Sandy Graham had to be dry docked for repairs, the band leased a vessel to tie them over and that is likely the case now.

“They may be petitioning the Department to give them some extra dollars for leasing costs for the next year or so while they waiting for the new used boat,” Stanton said.

The vessel will have to be approved by Transport Canada officials for operation in Canada, which has different regulation than the United States, said Stanton.

Chief Monague and Stanton have exchanged emails on the topic.

Monague said he has been working with a ship building company in Romania that has built new ferries for Newfoundland. There is already a design prepared for an ice breaker of the type and size of ferry needed for Christian Island that would provide year-round service. It would take one year to build.