Cape Tormentine is a rural community and former

local service district Local service district may refer to these administrative units in Canada: * Local service district (New Brunswick) A local service district (LSD) was a provincial administrative unit for the provision of local services in the Canadian province o ...

in southeastern

New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...

, Canada. It is located on the Northumberland Strait at the Abegweit Passage, the shortest crossing between

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

and the mainland. It once flourished as a transportation hub between New Brunswick and

but has been in decline since 1997 when the ferry service was closed due to the opening of the

Confederation Bridge The Confederation Bridge () is a box girder bridge carrying the Trans-Canada Highway across the Abegweit Passage of the Northumberland Strait, linking the province of Prince Edward Island with the mainland province of New Brunswick. Opened ...

. At the

Canada 2011 Census The 2011 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population on May 10, 2011. Statistics Canada, an agency of the Canadian government, conducts a nationwide census every five years. In 2011, it consisted of a mandatory short for ...

the population was 108, three quarters what it was at the 2006 census. Cape Tormentine is named for the eponymous

cape A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety of styles and have been used th ...

. For the purpose of

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...

's census it is in Botsford Parish.

Freight and passenger terminal timeline

* 1827: the Northumberland Strait iceboat service, known as the Capes Route, begins operating across the strait to Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island (PEI). * 1873: under the terms of PEI joining

Confederation A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

, the federal government is obliged to provide "continuous steamship service" between the mainland and the island, and keep the iceboats running. * 1886: the New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Railway connects Cape Tormentine with

Sackville, New Brunswick Sackville is a former town in southeastern New Brunswick, Canada. It held town status prior to 2023 and is now part of the town of Tantramar, New Brunswick, Tantramar. Sackville is home to Mount Allison University, a primarily undergraduate libe ...

, and thence to the Intercolonial Railway of Canada's Moncton to Truro line. * 1917: the iceboats are replaced by an ice breaking

train ferry A train ferry is a ship (ferry) designed to carry Railroad car, railway vehicles, as well as their cargoes and passengers. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with Track (rail transport), railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the f ...

, the SS ''Prince Edward Island'', built by

Armstrong Whitworth Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. With headquarters in Elswick, Tyne and Wear, Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth built armaments, ships, locomot ...

in England and operated by Canadian Government Railways. A new port was built to accommodate the ferry. She was an effective ice breaker, and could carry 12 interprovincial rail cars. * 1947: The ferry is replaced by the MV '' Abegweit''. She measures 372 feet in length and displaces 7,000 tons. Her eight main engines generate 13,500

brake horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are th ...

and drive propellers at both bow and stern. She could carry 950 passengers and 60 cars (or one complete passenger train of 16 railway cars). * 1968: a second ferry, is put in service on the PEI route. * 1982: a new

roll-on/roll-off Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, Trailer (vehicle), trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their ...

ferry, also called the MV ''Abegweit'' replaces the first. She is a much larger and more capable vessel, measuring 401 feet in length and displacing 12,000 tons. Her six main engines generated 18,000 brake horsepower. She could carry 974 passengers and 250 cars (or 40 tractor trailer trucks or 20 railway cars). * 1989: the last train stops at Cape Tormentine on New Year's Eve, following the closure of the Prince Edward Island Railway and the branch to Sackville. This branch has since been converted into a leisure trail, known locally as the Tantramar trail. * 1997: with the opening of the Confederation Bridge between PEI and nearby Cape Jourimain, New Brunswick, the ferry service is ended. Northumberland Ferries Limited still operates a service on the Northumberland Strait, between Wood Islands, Prince Edward Island, and Caribou, Nova Scotia. File:Abegweit1996.jpg,

Roll-on/roll-off Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, Trailer (vehicle), trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their ...

ferry '' MV Abegweit'' at Cape Tormentine File:Gare Cap-Tourmentin.jpg, Former train station and lighthouse at Cape Tormentine

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by

, Cape Tormentine had a population of 97 living in 49 of its 82 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 77. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

References

External links

Aids to Navigation
''Canadian Coast Guard'' {{Authority control , additional=Q28375884,Q28375885 Headlands of New Brunswick Communities in Westmorland County, New Brunswick Designated places in New Brunswick Local service districts of Westmorland County, New Brunswick Lighthouses in New Brunswick

Freight and passenger terminal timeline

Demographics

See also

References

External links