CBP has said it will stop screening vehicles at Portland's Ocean Gateway Terminal in 2018 unless the city can come up with $2M - or $7M depending on whose estimate you choose to believe - for new scanners, inspection booths, office space, etc.

The city has so far refused to pay, and if it doesn't, that will mean the end of the Portland-Yarmouth NS Cat ferry service.

Bay Ferries needs to have this issue resolved ASAP so as be able to begin marketing for 2018, if the service will still be running.

Since NS tourism is the major beneficiary of this service, we can probably anticipate that the province will be asked once again to kick in money. But patience of NS legislators may be wearing thin after 3 years of losses.