Torngat Mountains MHA Randy Edmunds says his is concerned that freight sitting in Lewisporte destined for Black Tickle and the North Coast of Labrador will not reach its destination before freeze-up.
“Much of the freight sitting in Lewisporte consists of winter food supply for the residents of Black Tickle, Nunatsiavut, and Natuashish,” said Edmunds. “Two trips are required by the M.V. Astron to deliver the back log and time is quickly running out to complete the deliveries before ice conditions make delivery impossible.”
Edmunds says the Astron has experienced many delays in the past week because of stormy and inclement weather along the north coast, which is not unusual for this time of the year. The Astron has been stormbound off Hopedale waiting for conditions to improve enough to complete her port of calls on the North Coast enroute to Lewisporte.
Temperatures have dropped below zero and the freeze-up has already begun, he said.
“This is about much more than a government commitment — this is about getting the winter food supply to the people of Labrador who will soon be cut off from marine transportation,” Edmunds said. “Despite many calls to enhance the marine service, this is an obvious case of poor planning on behalf of government.”
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