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 has been a general news reporter with CKLB since January 2019. Originally from rural Ontario, he first came to the NWT in 2016 as an intern with Up Here magazine and fell in love with the North. In his time with CKLB, he's had the immense pleasure and honour of learning about northern Indigenous cultures. Otherwise, you can find him hanging around the Legislative Assembly. If you have a story or want to chat, reach out to francis@cklbradio.com