Marine Atlantic

• Total Expenses 332,710
• Cost recovery: 59.9% in 2023

• 86% On-Time Performance

• The independent directors are chosen and appointed for specific terms by the Government of Canada.
• The President and CEO is also a member of the Board

• MSC (5 container ships)

  • Started in May 2020.
  • From Montreal
  • Corner Brook Port
  • Canada Gulf Bridge Service currently runs weekly out of the Port of Corner Brook
  • MSC is the only international ocean carrier providing access to and from Asian and South American markets directly linked to Newfoundland.

Ships include:

• MSC DON GIOVANNI/CG417A
• MSC BALTIC III/CG418A
• MSC MALENA/CG419A
• MSC SAMIRA III/CG420A
• MSC ALDEBARAN III/CG421A

• Oceanex (3 cargo ships)

  • From Montreal
  • St. John's

• Ships about 75 per cent of all freight destined for St. John’s.
• Ships half of all freight headed for Newfoundland.
• Oceanex's main publicly stated concern is with the subsidy regime supporting Marine Atlantic (the fact that it operates as a non-profit, subsidized Crown).
• Oceanex considered shutting-down service to Newfoundland during the pandemic. Marine Atlantic stated that it would, somehow, be able to replace the lost shipping traffic.

Ships include:

• Other regular shippers exist, but are not focused on shipping dry cargo from the mainland.

• There are regular shipping routes that come in from Labrador and Saint Pierre and Miquelon which bring cargo that is enroute from other locations to Fortune, NL.

  • Labrador main dock: Terrington Basin, Happy Valley – Goose Bay, NL
  • Operated by Nunatsiavut Marine Inc. and Labrador Marine Inc.
  • Passenger and freight services.
• There are irregular cargo transports arriving in different NL ports throughout the year, but these shipments make-up a small portion of the shipments of goods to NL. They are, however, essential routes for trade.

• 300 Commercial vehicles: automobiles and tractor trailers
• 500 passengers: drivers of the commercial vehicles

• 1000 passengers
• 425 cars, 177 trailers, or 90 tractor trailers

• 1000 passengers
• 425 cars, 177 trailers, or 90 tractor trailers

• Out of service, currently in dry dock in Denmark
• 700 passengers

• Comes online in 2024-2025, currently in North Sydney, Nova Scotia.
• Will replace Atlantic Vision
• 1000 passengers
• ~450 cars or equivalent

Pictures

These are wages reported on the Canada Job Board. Usually, these are reported wage rates for private sector non-union jobs, but sometimes report union positions.

We would compare to the Max wage rate, but should give us some comparisons to what is being posted on job boards.

The total net worth has increased over 200% over the 20 year period 1999 to 2019. In that time, total average earnings of the average Newfoundland family increased by over 100%.

This growth in total wealth and wage earnings far outstrips increases in prices during that period.

Even including the high inflation period since 2019, growth in incomes and wealth of the Newfoundland family has gained around 50% faster than prices since 1999.

• 202% Growth in Total Net Worth of Newfoundland families 1999 to 2019.
• 48.5% Growth in prices 1999 to 2019
• 105% Growth in Average Earnings of Newfoundland families 1999 to 2024.
• 69.5% Growth in prices 1999 to 2023

However, growth of the average blue collar workers continues to fall behind the growth rate of those at the top of Newfoundland's wage grid. Only through collective bargaining are the workers at the lower end of the economic scale able to restore balance.

NL government reports also show this income disparity.

"nearly half of residents reported that their household finances are worse or much worse off, with those residents aged 35-54 significantly more likely to indicate that their household finances are much worse off"

This is compared with 55% of residents who have had no change or are better off in their finances.

According to the NL government travel survey, while the main issue affecting travel plans is inflation and the costs associated with travel, Newfoundlanders are returning to pre-pandemic travel patterns. And, only 1/3rd of trips are to visit family.

The average Newfoundland traveller is willing to spend much more on vacations now.

In 2022, residents planned on spending:

• vacation trips: $710
• visiting family: $428
• quick "getaway" trip: $510

The cost increases experienced by regular working Newfoundlanders should not (and cannot) be paid for through wage suppression of Marine Atlantic workers. Prices for transport of goods and people already do not reflect the true cost of transportation on Marine Atlantic.

Government subsidies for Marine Atlantic are to regulate the price of transport of goods, but subsidies should be paid for by all Canadians, not through lower wages for Marine Atlantic workers. Competitive wages for workers at Marine Atlantic are essential to maintain the quality of service expected on our ferries.