Feds say help will come for remote, Indigenous communities without buses

OTTAWA – The federal government says it will step in to support the transportation needs of some northern and remote communities affected by the closure of Greyhound bus operations in western Canada and northern Ontario.

Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau says Ottawa is open to help affected provinces pay for bus service in communities where private enterprise has not come forward to service abandoned routes.

“We know exactly how much money that we are going to make available for this, and I can assure you that we will have it covered, and we’ll make that information available very shortly,” Garneau says.

WATCH: Greyhound Service Officially Ends In B.C.

As well, Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott says her department will subsidize bus services to remote Indigenous communities where needed.

The announcement came as Greyhound was winding down all but one of its routes in the West.

Garneau is dismissing suggestions the federal government step in with a national bus line.

“An actual fact: this goes all the way back to 1954,” he says. “The provinces indicated that they wanted to take care of bus services within their provinces, and that has been the model that has been used now for over 60 years.”

Greyhound announced in July that it would stop serving unsustainable services in Canada as of Oct. 31.

Since Greyhound’s announcement in July, other private companies have filled 87 per cent of the vacant routes.

For the remaining 13 per cent, the federal government will share the costs with the provinces to return bus services.

Private companies fill the gap

As Greyhound prepares to say goodbye to most of B.C., E-bus is already starting service.

One of its new routes could even boost business at Abbotsford International Airport.

Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun says because of low cost airlines — like Swoop and Flair — more and more people want to fly out of the Fraser Valley.

“We’re seeing people coming from Vernon, Kelowna — they’re driving down here.”

And Ebus will drop them off right at the terminal, possibly taking dozens of cars off the road, according to Braun, who adds this could help the airport set a new passenger record.

“They’ll have the ability to leave their cars at home, and drive in a very comfortable and equipped bus, potentially taking 50 cars off the road,” he explains. “We’re on track this year to push through 800,000, which is another 20 plus per cent increase.”

The new route also has stops to the west, so people wanting to fly out of YXX can jump on a bus from Vancouver’s Pacific Station to Abbotsford International for $40.