HALIFAX – The province’s opposition is panning the liberal government after the passenger numbers for the Yarmouth-to-Maine ferry fell below expected targets.

Bay Ferries Ltd. released the numbers Monday after repeatedly saying they were not going to do so over fears of releasing competitive information.

While the company maintains it has not set a passenger goal, the province’s $23.3 million subsidy is based on a passenger count of 60,000 people or 500 per day, but the first three weeks have fallen well below that with the highest average so far at 307 passengers in a week.

According to Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie, the numbers simply reinforce how bad deal this has been for the province’s tax payers.

“It’s been conservatively estimated at $100 million in loses, it’s going to be even more than that,” he said.

During the first week of the sailing season, between June 15 and 22, there were an average of 181 passengers per day in 78 vehicles on the ferry, while the second week showed an average of 285 passengers and 106 vehicles.

The third week was its highest passenger total yet, with 307 passengers per day travelling on the service from July 1 to 7.

Bay Ferries also said 1,200 room nights have been booked across Nova Scotia as part of ferry trip packages through the first three weeks.

The company also said they’re also in negotiations with the City of Portland to reduce the number of blackout days the CAT ferry cannot use the terminal there and have so far reduced it from nine days to just three.

An email from Nova Scotia’s Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan repeated that the passenger count is just, “one of the variables” the province is using to monitor the ferry’s overall performance.

“We are focused on making sure the service, and our tourism industry has the best opportunity for success,” the statement said. “Once the season has concluded, we will have a full, complete, and accurate picture of the performance for the season, which we will bring to Nova Scotians.”

Baille however is of the mind the government needs to be more honest with Nova Scotians, and provide all details now.

“If the government truly wanted to give us a clear picture, they would release the full details of the contract they signed with Bay Ferries,” he said. “To this day they continue to keep important parts secret, like how much the profit is that the tax payers are expected to cover for Bay Ferries. ”

Bay Ferries did not release a forecast for the end of the season based in its current passenger number but said another update can be expected in August.