Wolfe Island residents worry new ferry dock won’t be completed on time

Ferry users are concerned about the delay in expanding the ferry terminal on Wolfe Island on the mainland.

The project is supposed to be completed in 2023, and islanders are frustrated by the huge lineup and no clear answer from the Ministry of Transport.

“Many of us talk about the fact that on the Kingston side, there are all these devices sitting here and there doesn’t seem to be any work done and we don’t know why. So that’s very worrying,” said Wolfe Island resident Ken Morin.

Work on expanding the pier to provide more space on land and in the water to accommodate the larger 75-car Wolfe Islander 4 ferry has begun again in 2020.

At the time, the project was given a deadline of 2023.

Since then, the multi-million dollar Islander 4, the province’s first battery-powered ferry, has arrived from Romania, where it is being built by Dutch company Damen Shipyards.

Ferry is docked in Picton, and still idle while on Ontario Street, work continues on the dock, looks like a long way from meeting pending deadlines.

Residents say the delays mean operations are not keeping up with demand and they are feeling the impact.

“I worked in Kingston all spring and summer and probably missed 10 business days because of the ferry, so that was a bit disconcerting,” says Morin.

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“For me, I try to get home from work, or whatever really, then I’m stuck here for another hour because of all the construction and people trying to get through,” one said. other residents of the Island, said Lauren Taggart.

Global News contacted the Department of Transport to inquire about possible delays and received the following statement: “The department is working diligently to complete the construction of the land and sea berths. island as soon as possible. We will have more to say about this in due time. “

With no further information to go on, islanders wonder how much longer they will be affected by the delay.