One resident of Little Bay Islands is a step closer to resettlement as he purchases a house in Springdale, a ferry ride and an hour and a half drive away.

The full-time residents voted 100 per cent in favour of relocation, and have signed option agreements for financial relocation assistance.

Darren Budgell says it was not an easy task, finding a new home. His family looked at almost 30 places.

He says some of the homes were good and some he could not afford. Budgell says it turned into a process he has never been in before but it was definitely interesting.

The provincial government is providing $8.7 million for the relocation, meaning that ferry service, roads maintenance and power supply will come to an end.

Budgell says residents are not having as much luck as he did and they are also worried about money. He says he hopes to have the money in around 3 weeks.

As for the move, Budgell needs to wait for the payment.

He says none of the residents can go anywhere without the money.

The official relocation date is December 31, 2019. It was initially scheduled for early November but government changed it to allow residents more time to figure out their next step.

Budgell says they appreciated the change in scheduling but Christmas time is a hard time to leave your home for good.