Fee increase coming for Marine Atlantic passengers

Users of the Marine Atlantic ferries between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland will see fee increases starting in April.

The cost of a ticket for a single adult passenger to cross between Port aux Basques and North Sydney is going up just over a dollar, to $43.46 as of April 1.

For two adults with a vehicle, the price for that route is increasing from $195.26to $200.20.

A family of four two adults withtwo children over five with a vehicle,is rising from $234.60 up to $240.56 per crossing on the gulf.

Meanwhile, commercial users will also see an increase of nearly $17 per crossing.

The current fare for a standard tractor-trailer to cross is $640.55, but as of April 1 that price will be up to $657.10.

Bigger bumpfor Argentia route

The cost ofcrossing betweenNorth Sydney, NS andArgentia, NL is rising a littlemore.

As of April 1, an adult passenger willhave to pay $115.34, up from $112.52.

Two adults travelling in a vehicle willpay $462.98, up from $451.48.

On the Argentia run, farefor a family of four with a vehicle will riseabout$14to $574.88.

'Sliding scale' for fuel costs

Marine Atlantic said for the time being, the fuel surcharge fee on both runswill not change.

But Spokesperson Darrell Mercer says a change iscoming in 2017.

Mercer saidthat's due to a shift in the type of fuel Marine Atlantic is using in its ferries.

According to Mercer, an environmental treaty signed by Canada outlines a requirement for the ferries to switch to a cleaner marine dieselfuel, rather than a "bunker C"fuel mix currently being used.

"The marine diesel unfortunately is much more expensive than the bunker C, so we're on a bit of a sliding scale," he told CBC's Corner Brook Morning Show.

"Each year we have to burn more marine diesel until we become compliant, 100 per cent marine dieselby 2018/19."

Mercer warnedcustomers that as the company continues to increase the amount of dieselused, a surcharge increase of about 5 per cent is expected next year.