The provincial government has filed a request to intervene in a hearing on the designation of Marine Atlantic as an essential service.

Government says it respects the collective bargaining process however it is concerned that the longstanding designation of Marine Atlantic as an essential service could be reconsidered by the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

Marine Atlantic is the island’s link to the mainland and is considered part of the Trans Canada Highway. The service was entrenched in the Terms of Union when Newfoundland entered confederation with Canada.

The province says Marine Atlantic is vital for the transportation of food, fuel and medical supplies – supporting health care, supply chains and public safety.

It says if the essential service designation is changed, it would fundamentally affect the long-term reliability of service to the island.

The province argues the following:

· Much of the province’s food supply moves via Marine Atlantic. Reliable service is essential to maintaining food security, especially in rural and remote areas.

· Nearly 100,000 commercial units cross annually between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia to transport goods.

· Continuous ferry service is critical to residents’ health, safety and well-being. Disruptions would limit access to essential goods, including food and medical supplies, with serious consequences.

· A majority of pharmaceutical products arrive in the province through ground transportation in temperature-regulated trucks, which require regular ferry crossings and are not serviced by private operators. Almost all vaccines arrive via Marine Atlantic, along with hospital oxygen, IV solutions and dialysis solutions, and medical products such as sutures.

· Service disruptions would harm tourism and key industries such as fisheries and forestry, affecting jobs and regional economies.

· Visitors travelling to Newfoundland and Labrador on Marine Atlantic spent $165 million in the province in 2025, helping support more than 20,000 tourism-related jobs.

· According to the Association of Seafood Producers, 95 per cent of the province’s $1.7 billion in annual seafood exports rely on Marine Atlantic to reach markets.

· Nearly 40,000 tonnes of aquaculture products, valued at $453 million, depend on the ferry system for market access.