Liard River ferry operations ‘suspended until further notice’

The department of Infrastructure says the MV Lafferty ferry on the Liard River near Fort Simpson is closed “until further notice”.

The department tweeted a notice earlier today, saying the closure was due to high water levels and debris.

“Our staff are on site monitoring the situation, but operations can’t resume until river conditions are safe to do so,” says Greg Hanna, the department’s communications officer.

He added there is no timeline for when this may happen.

The ferry has been closed since Tuesday evening.

Paul Grech posted in the Fort Simpson Bulletin Facebook page saying Great Slave Helicopters is sending a helicopter to the area “to help with the ferry situation.”

According to the post, residents can fly across the river for $265. Grech adds that passengers will need waivers and masks to be allowed to fly.

About the Author

Francis Tessier-Burns
Francis was a reporter with CKLB from January 2019 to March 2023. In his time with CKLB, he had the immense pleasure and honour of learning about northern Indigenous cultures.