The Blue Puttees crosses the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Photo contributed by Loretta Pearce.

By Mitchell Clarke

Getting off the island of Newfoundland has never been easy on the wallet, but Marine Atlantic’s plan to jack up prices by four per cent is not making it easier.

The increases on the Port aux Basques-North Sydney route include the following: 

• The single adult passenger fare has risen to $40.76 from $35.82;
• The cost for two adults in a vehicle has jumped to $187.17 from $173.22;
• The fare for a family of four in a vehicle has gone to $224.77 from $209.38.

The Argentia-North Sydney route is subject to the following changes:

• The single adult passenger fare has risen to $107.85 from $100.33;
• The cost for two adults in a vehicle has jumped to $432.48 from $409.11;
• The fare for a family of four in a vehicle has increased to $536.84 from $509.45

Earlier this month, the Crown corporation released a statement about raising prices to pay for tariff rate hikes and new security measures. Simply put, everything is going to cost more when travelling by ferry. Food and lodging are estimated to go up by almost four per cent along with the four per cent increase to tickets. The company has added a $3.50 security fee on top of the other charges. However the security fee is only for customers over the age of 12.

Suzanne LeFrense is a frequent costumer of Marine Atlantic, having to travel back and forth for work as a home care worker. She feels that raising the prices is not a wise idea. LeFrense takes the ferry across every two weeks. Currently, she pays almost $38 to go as a walk-on passenger. She says she will likely have to pay more than $40 to cross the Gulf now. However, LeFrense doesn’t think this will affect tourism.

“If I was just using this once a year, I’d probably never notice. When you uses it all year round, you notice every raise.”

When asked, Marine Atlantic did not want to comment beyond what they had stated in its press release. In the press release, the Crown corporation also said it would be charging an extra $50 to management fees for drop trailers.

Marine Atlantic states in its press release increasing rates is never an easy choice but that it needs to keep up with the rising prices in supplies and labour that are caused by outside factors.