Tancook Island residents fed up with reduced ferry capacity

Residents of Tancook Island are fed up with changes to their ferry service which have reduced the number of people that can travel on it at any given time.

The ferry can usually carry 90 people, but last month, Transport Canada cut the number to 45 after the vessel failed to meet federal standards.

About 130 people live on the island, but residents worry that with tourists taking the boat and supplies being transported over, they wont be able to get on board.

Sometimes I wonder [if]I get on, am I going to be able to get back home tonight? said resident FranLevy.

Residents are asking for a new ferry. The current one, the William G. Ernst has been the islands only connection to the mainland for 32 years.

Local businesses say the decreased ferry capacity is hurting business.

I've seen a lot of cutbacks because there's not near (sic) as many people coming. Sometimes we only serve two coffees a day. Thats for the whole day," said Carolyn Cross, the owner of Carolyns Caf and Crafts.

The province says it is looking at options to fix or replace the ferry.