The provincial government is assessing the capacity that exists in the province to construct new ferries.

The promise to build new ferries for the intraprovincial fleet was a cornerstone of the PC election campaign last fall.

Now, government has issued an RFP for a consultant to review the “capacity and readiness of the provincial shipbuilding industry to construct three new ferries” to be used in their fleet.

Government says the consultant will assess current shipbuilding capacities and what would be needed for the future.

That process will include speaking with shipyard operators, designers, construction firms, labour representatives, and others.

The final report will identify gaps and provide recommendations on how to address them.

The closing date for submissions is August 6th, with a final report expected later in the fall.