The search for Sir John Franklin's long-lost ships in the Northwest Passage could become a partnership between the Canadian government and an Alberta-based firm, if federal officials agree to come aboard.

A government-sponsored search for the Erebus and Terror, which disappeared in the High Arctic more than 160 years ago, was cancelled this summer because underwater archeologists with Parks Canada were unable to secure the services of a coast guard icebreaker.

Rob Rondeau, a marine archeologist with ProCom Diving Services, told CBC News he contacted Parks Canada officials on Monday morning to invite them to join his own search for the Erebus and Terror, slated to begin in late August.

Rondeau said he is awaiting an answer from the federal agency.

"Since learning that they're not going to be able to go on their expedition … I'm now looking at the possibility of trying to include somebody from Parks Canada in our survey," he said.

Rondeau is working with a British archeologist on his search for the ships, and will send remotely operated and autonomous underwater vehicles to search in the Northwest Passage.

He said the British remain fascinated with Franklin's disappearance and locating the ships would be big news in both England and in Nunavut, where the remains are believed to be located.

Only traces found to date

In 1845, Franklin had set out from England aboard the vessels, hoping to explore and map the Northwest Passage. Neither he nor any of his 128 crewmen ever returned.

In the years since Franklin disappeared, only traces of the expedition have ever been found.

Last year, then environment minister John Baird announced the federal government would back a three-year search for the Erebus and Terror, to be led by Parks Canada and using traditional knowledge from Inuit in the area.

This year would have marked the second year of the project, had it not been cancelled.

In Gjoa Haven, one of several Nunavut communities along the passage, Mayor Joanni Sallerina said he was disappointed to hear the government's search was scrubbed this year.

"After making a commitment, a three-year commitment to the community, and not informing us formally through a letter stating that they weren't going to be doing the Franklin research, it's unfortunate because this would have benefited the community," he said Monday.

Sallerina said many local elders were involved in the government search, so the cancellation was a blow to the community.

'More heads are better than one'

Rondeau said the search would benefit from a collaboration between ProCom and Parks Canada — a view shared by Vickie Aitok, manager of the Arctic Coast Visitors Centre in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut.

"I mean, more heads are better than one, always," Aitok said. "That actually would be a good partnership to have them team up to look for these ships."

Author Ken McGoogan, who has written extensively about the Franklin expedition, said Canada could benefit greatly if Franklin's lost ships are found at last.

"With the opening up of the Northwest Passage, there is an opportunity, it seems to me, to attract more people, to bring more money into the North if you will," he said.

Rondeau said his team will set up a base camp on the north end of King William Island, and be at sea for two weeks beginning at the end of August.

If the team's theories about where the Erebus and Terror are located are correct, he said they can find the vessels within a few days.