By John Francis,
Bruce Peninsula Press
Traffic on the Tobermory to Manitoulin Island ferry bounced back quite a bit in 2021, although it remained well below pre-pandemic volumes.
The MS Chi-Cheemaun carried 17% more passengers than in 2020 and 11% more vehicles, reports Susan Schrempf, CEO of the parent company, Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC).
How does this compare to pre-pandemic years? It’s complicated. Schrempf explains: “2021 maximum passenger capacity per trip continued to be restricted to one third of certified capacity to ensure compliance with all federally/provincially and locally required Covid-19 transmission mitigation measures, including ensuring passengers had the space to remain physically distant from each other and crew members.” In addition, “The 2021 sailing season was 40 days shorter than a normal sailing season (2019 pre-pandemic), and the summer schedule was reduced to three round-trips per day (versus four round-trips per day in 2019). Despite the shorter season and reduced summer schedule, total traffic carried in 2021 equalled 60% of total traffic carried in the 2019 season.”
Did the pandemic affect passenger demographics? Schrempf gave a very thoughtful answer: Passenger demography in 2020 and 2021 “was determined by many factors, not the least of which would be whether a person made their own booking on-line, or if they called in and had to wait in the call answering queue. Making reservations online was the most efficient for those who are used to doing internet-based transactions. The continuing waves of Covid transmission would have had an impact on persons of a certain age making decisions on travel or not. And finally, the hybrid work model enjoyed by most of the GTA workers (downtown, NOT the factory based workers) allowed for more mobility as they could travel and work. We saw an even distribution in traffic per departure, seven days a week.”
Uncertainty still shrouds the future of travel, There will probably be a post-pandemic “new normal” for public transportation in general. How will that play out on the Manitoulin run for 2022 and beyond?
Schrempf replies: “The definition of ‘normal’ for the ferry service is still being determined, and the company is preparing for both best case and most probable case scenarios for 2022. Best case would be a complete lifting of passenger number restrictions as a consequence of a waning pandemic due to high vaccination rates by spring 2022, and the ability to re-open food and beverage services on an unrestricted basis on the ship. Most probable is an increase to the maximum number of passengers being permitted on the ship and a continuation of some virus transmission mitigation measures such as wearing masks when indoors. Most probable also includes re-opening food and beverage services in line with restrictions as may be in place for local food service establishments at that time.” A decision as to whether or not service will return to four trips a day in the busy season is expected in December.
Onboard events and dinner cruises will return gradually as attitudes and restrictions change. Current plans call for “a limited number of events in summer 2022, returning to a larger schedule of events in 2023”.
The Chi-Cheemaun is currently out of the water at a drydock in Thunder Bay for her five-year hull inspection. No issues have been encountered and she is scheduled to return to her winter berth in Owen Sound the first week of December.
