People who live in and around the Halifax area will have a new, environmentally friendly, high-speed ferry service for travel between Bedford and downtown Halifax.

The Province, along with the federal government and Halifax Regional Municipality, announced today, March 4, a joint investment to build the Mill Cove Ferry Service, which will include five electric ferries, two terminals and a maintenance facility.

“This project addresses road traffic in the area and helps us plan for future population growth,” said Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman, on behalf of Public Works Minister Kim Masland. “The new ferry route will also encourage people to use public transportation and help us meet our climate change goals by using fast zero-emission electric ferries.”

The new ferry terminals will be net-zero – one at Mill Cove, and the other will replace the aging Halifax ferry terminal. A bridge will also be built over the CN rail line in Bedford to connect buses, cars, pedestrians and cyclists to the Mill Cove terminal.

This project aligns with the Joint Regional Transportation Agency’s Regional Transportation Plan. The agency is taking a regional approach to growth by looking at the safe, efficient and co-ordinated movement of people and goods.

The Province will contribute $65 million, the federal government is investing $155.7 million and Halifax Regional Municipality will provide more than $38 million.

“Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone in our commitment to helping Nova Scotians get where they need to go quickly and sustainably. By investing in state-of-the-art net-zero ferry terminals and zero-emission electric ferries, we’re not just enhancing connectivity; we’re paving the way for a cleaner, greener future. The Halifax Transit Mill Cove Ferry Service is a direct response to the priorities that the people of Halifax West have raised with me. It’s going to get more people out of traffic and put less pollution into our air.”
— Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, on behalf of Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

“With the growth we are continuing to see, so is the need to make sustainable transportation competitive with personal vehicles. Not only will this improved ferry service help people get around faster, it will also promote continuous growth surrounding the terminal and establish a consistent community hub.”
— Mike Savage, Mayor, Halifax Regional Municipality

Quick Facts:

– the project is expected to be completed in the 2027-28 fiscal year

– the electric ferries will benefit passengers and ferry operators with reduced noise and no air pollution
– Build Nova Scotia is providing the land for the Mill Cove terminal

– the project will advance transportation goals in Nova Scotia’s climate change plan for clean growth

Additional Resources:

Joint Regional Transportation Agency: https://jrta.ca/

Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/ns-climate-change-plan.pdf

Build Nova Scotia: https://buildns.ca/ 

Department of Public Works on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/NS_PublicWorks

Via Province