City staffers say the planned service cuts to the harbour ferry service should go ahead this fall.

The recommendation is in a report coming to regional council today.

The changes mean the last ferry of the day would leave Halifax at 10:15 p.m, and the ferries would run only every 30 minutes between noon and 2 p.m. on weekdays. Weekend service will also be delayed until 11:30 a.m. on Sundays.  

Metro Transit introduced the changes in the latest budget, but they were put on hold for the summer. Today’s report suggests the cuts could be avoided, but only with a fare or tax increase.

Dartmouth Coun. Gloria McCluskey tells Metro Halifax it’s a short-sighted idea. She says the population in Dartmouth is rising, and with major renovations coming for the MacDonald bridge, the ferry is needed more than ever.