The SS Stanley

Marine Atlantic, its predecessor CN Marine, and pre-confederation Newfoundland coastal boats have a strong and proud history serving the people of Atlantic Canada through ferry terminals, passenger vessels and rail service.

In this week’s blog posting we highlight the SS Stanley which served the Northumberland Strait crossing from 1888-1909.

Named after Canada’s sixth Governor General, Lord Frederick Stanley (also the namesake for the NHL’s Stanley Cup), the vessel was designed to be an ice-breaking ferry when it entered service. Travelling between ports in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick/Nova Scotia, the SS Stanley was more reliable than its predecessors in travelling through the harsh winter ice conditions of the Northumberland Strait. At 207 feet in length and 1900 horsepower, it helped connect Prince Edward Island with Mainland Canada for over two decades.