New Brunswick and Nova Scotia residents are banding together to save the Digby, NS and Saint John, NB from extinction. Government funding for the Bay Ferries service between the two provinces will terminate in 2010. The route, which shuttles tourist and goods, is a driver for economic development in the region, locals say, and they are preparing to battle for its survival.

The passage between Digby and Saint John is used by many tour groups who rely on the ferry to transport bus loads of tourists between the two communities. According to Jim Thurber, the uncertainty in the route’s existence will drive traffic and dollars away from the region.

Mr Thurber is head of a lobby group that is pushing the federal government to continue paying for the service.

“This is our highway, it's essential to the economy,” he said. “The cost is important, but it's no different than the cost of replacing or repairing any other piece of highway.”

The government has commissioned a study to analyze the economic impact of the ferry route will release the results in February. Click here to read more about the ferry service and the passionate residents at cbc.ca.