Letter to Prime Minister Carney Re: Marine Atlantic Ferry Fees

May 30th, 2025
The Right Honourable Mark Carney
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister, 80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2

Dear Prime Minister Carney,

On behalf of the Board of Trade and the 800+ members across Newfoundland and Labrador we represent, congratulations on your election as Prime Minister of Canada.

Your leadership comes at a pivotal time for our country and our province, as businesses, who are the backbone of our economy, face incredible challenges. During your campaign, you made the powerful and bold commitment to Newfoundland and Labrador, stating that you will reduce Marine Atlantic fees by at least half. We would like to thank you for recognizing the burden that transportation fees inflict on every single Newfoundlander and Labradorian and commend you for addressing the issue.

Reducing these fees will have an immediate, positive, and far-reaching impact on businesses and residents throughout our entire province and it reinforces the Government of Canada’s commitment to Newfoundland and Labrador.

As the only province in Canada that relies directly on marine transportation for the movement of goods and people—reducing ferry fees will directly lower the cost of living and the cost of doing business. This is particularly significant for Newfoundland and Labrador's business community, who depend on reliable and affordable shipping for both receiving supplies and getting their products to market. Further, this commitment would be an important component of your government’s key priority to eliminate internal trade and labour mobility barriers, as highlighted in the Speech from the Throne. Such a move would help advance the vision of a more connected Canada.

We look forward to the opportunity to meet with you and your team to explore how we can help make this commitment a reality. We are available to meet at your earliest convenience. We look forward to working with your government in the months and years ahead.

Sincerely,
AnnMarie Boudreau
CEO
Board of Trade