The Halifax Transit Mill Cove Ferry Service project will enter its second phase, after a combined investment of nearly $260 million from the federal government, the government of Nova Scotia, and the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Announced by MP Lena Metlege Diab, MP Andy Fillmore, Minister Timothy Halman, and Councillor Tim Outhit, this project will transition from the planning of the Mill Cove Ferry route to Phase 2, which will focus on the design and construction of the terminals and procurement of ferries.
Phase 2 of the project entails the design and construction of two state-of-the-art net-zero ferry terminals: the Mill Cove ferry terminal, and the replacement of the aging Halifax Ferry Terminal with a new, contemporary facility. It also includes the acquisition of five high-speed, zero-emission electric ferries, the establishment of a cutting-edge maintenance facility, and the construction of a bridge spanning the Bedford Highway over an existing CN rail line. The bridge will enhance the region's active transportation infrastructure and provide a direct connection capable of accommodating buses, vehicles, and an active transportation path to the Mill Cove Ferry Terminal.
The Mill Cove Ferry Service is an integral component of the Halifax Regional Municipality's Rapid Transit Strategy and Integrated Mobility Plan. It contributes to Nova Scotia's Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, supporting the region's mandate to advance environmental innovations, and to the Municipality's HalifACT 2050 initiative, working towards the comprehensive decarbonization of transportation and municipal operations.
The federal government's investment in public transit will help make communities more inclusive and improve the quality of life for users of these services by making it easier for them to get around and stay connected.
