Chief Commanda should be in Lake Nipissing next week
Chief Commanda Captain Rich Stivrins is putting the final touches on the boat before it hits Lake Nipissing next week.
The boat has been docked in Callander since 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ship did not sail last season.
"We have to go through our checklist of things to launch and get the right weather break," said Stivrins. "So, sometime next week we will be at the dock."
Stivrins said the Chief Commanda can welcome passengers again when the province enters stage 2 of the COVID-19 reopening plan. He’s hopeful that will be the first week of July.
"We’re licensed for 321 passengers and crew, effectively that’s around 300 passengers," he said. "This year we really have no idea what we’re going to end up with, which is a little bit nerve-wracking this close to the season."
They would be happy to operate at 30 per cent capacity, Stivrins said, which is about 100 people. But they could safely take more.
"We are confident that we can operate safely into the 50, 60 per cent numbers because we have 80,000 square feet between the three decks," he said.
For Tourism North Bay, attractions like the Chief Commanda have staff hopeful the city will be busier this summer than it was in 2020.
“So many people come from out of town to the city, so it’s good for the city, it’s good for the community,” said Steve Dreany.
“Anything we do or anything we promote is going to be in conjunction with the health unit guidelines. But we are hoping that there will be an increase in tourism, especially over last year.”
As for the Chief Commanda, passengers can expect to enjoy their experience a bit differently than in the past.
“A lot of Plexiglas shielding is up to space people out and to create barriers between tables," said Stivrins. "We anticipate masks will be a mandatory requirement when they come on.”
Stivrins said the current plan is to have the Chief Commanda sailing Lake Nipissing until Thanksgiving.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they're now named Scouting America
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.