After ten days at sea, the new ferry that will operate between Cap-aux-Meules and Souris has arrived at the Magdalen Islands.

More than a hundred people gathered at the Vacancier wharf in Cap-aux-Meules on Tuesday afternoon to witness the arrival of the Madeleine II, the new ferry that will be crossing the Souris Islands by 2026.

CTMA, which will operate the ferry, described the moment as historic considering the strong bond of belonging and attachment between the islanders and their main means of access to the mainland.

Director General of CTMA Emmanuel Aucoin stands in front of the Madeleine II in dock. Photo by CFIM.

According to CTMA's General Manager Emmanuel Aucoin, even though the Madeleine II is on temporary assignment for five years while awaiting the construction of the MV Jean Lapierre, which will be built in Quebec, the presence of the new ferry now guarantees the reliability of the essential transportation service.

Mr. Aucoin explaining that the new ferry will assure Madelinots a continued link to the mainland (French audio only):

Historically, with each change to a larger ferry, full passenger capacity has always been reached quickly. The Madeleine II will be able to accommodate an average of 300 cars, depending on the size of the vehicles, compared to an average capacity of 190 cars for the old Madeleine I ferry. Passenger capacity, meanwhile, will increase from 770 on the 40-year-old Madeleine to 1,500 on the Madeleine II, which was built in 2018.

Aucoin specifies that, in consultation with the community, the reservation and traffic limits can always be controlled according to the needs and capacity of the archipelago.

While the initial plan was to carry out the work to meet Canadian standards at the Halifax wharf, the work will finally be carried out in the Islands between now and its commissioning in June.

The awarding of the contracts, which are normally tendered, is being handled by CTMA given the tight timelines to complete the minimum work before the June 1 deadline, and Aucoin says there will inevitably be spin-off benefits for local businesses.

He estimates the cost of the upgrades at a few hundred thousand dollars.

In a news release, CTMA says that while it is monitoring health guidelines, it plans to hold an open house for the general public when the boat is ready, as well as an official ribbon-cutting when it is put into service.

Watch the ferry's arrival here: https://fb.watch/4rDFoMQsSX/