Peel River crossing reopens after costly week-long disruption

The Peel River ferry has returned to normal operations after high water and a snapped cable forced it out of commission for a week, leaving many people stranded along the Dempster Highway.

After high water receded, the NWT’s Department of Infrastructure released an update on Thursday afternoon stating the once-submerged ferry landings had become visible and crews were reinstalling cables.

As of Thursday evening, the ferry is operational again with a maximum weight of 64,000 kg.

The MV Abraham Francis had been out of service since July 3, at one point floating six kilometres downstream when it became dislodged from its cable. It was retrieved undamaged. 

Over the past week, lines had formed at the waterfront on both sides. A number of travellers opted to pay local residents to provide transportation using personal boats. 

Some travellers and business owners expressed displeasure at what they said was a lack of communication from the GNWT during the disruption.

“We’ve been in the dark the whole week,” said Michelle Weisheit, a traveller from Oliver, British Columbia.

“I did think that the GNWT could do a better job of getting out some official wording, even if there’s nothing to update.

“A lot of the information that we’re getting is just from people, it’s hearsay, it’s rumours. Everybody’s got an opinion and depending on who they talk to, it’s wildly different.”

The closure also had economic impacts. Weisheit, for example, had been planning a trip along the Dempster Highway for “years” and budgeted $1,500, which included accommodation. 

After the closure of the ferry, plans had to change. 

Unlike some travellers, Weisheit was unable to cross the river employing local help as her vehicle weighed more than one ton, leaving her with no option but to stay stranded in Inuvik.

Weisheit had opted to bring her own food on the trip, lowering the cost of travel, but with the prolonged closure, Weisheit ran out of the planned food and had to pay for additional accommodation and meals. 

“Our very original plan was only to spend two nights here. I think now we’re on six or seven nights,” she said. “By the time we add the hotel and then we go out for dinner or a meal, we’re spending about $400 to $450 per day, just on accommodation and one meal.

“Times that by an extra four days, we’re looking at close to $2,000 extra for this … It’s a substantial additional cost that we weren’t expecting to incur.”

Weisheit added she was “completely shocked by the prices that people pay here, just for necessities. It’s exorbitant.”

The ferry closure did hotels few favours, either.

Wanda Linthorne, acting manager at Inuvik’s MacKenzie Hotel, said this is ordinarily peak season.

In four days, the hotel received 15 cancellations, meaning thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

“It’s not great. It’s not good for business,” Linthorne said.