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Greyhound scampering from Western Canada
Greyhound Canada announced a few days ago that it is halting passenger bus and freight services in Western Canada, eliminating all routes but one in B.C. (Vancouver to Seattle, Washington).
The decision means a complete elimination of Greyhound passenger bus and freight service for all communities in the East Kootenay.
“This decision is regretful and we sympathize with the fact that many small towns are going to lose service. But simply put, the issue that we have seen is the routes in rural parts of Canada — specifically Western Canada — are just not sustainable anymore,” Greyhound Canada senior vice-president Stuart Kendrick told The Canadian Press.
It is expected that more than 400 jobs will be lost and about two million consumers will be impacted.
The route cancellations will take effect at the end of October.
Kootenay-Columbia MP Wayne Stetski said the route cancellations will produce unacceptable hardship for those in his riding.
“We have over 50 communities in our riding of Kootenay-Columbia, and it’s common for people to need to travel between communities for school, for work, or for family and other needs. Not everyone can afford a car, nor should they. Canadians are dependent on affordable transit alternatives like commercial bus lines. It is unacceptable that the bus will no longer be an option for our citizens. I am writing the Minister of Transportation to determine what we can do to ensure that affordable transportation continues to exist, here and across Canada,” he stated.
Claire Trevena, B.C.’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure said the provincial government was blind-sided by the announcement. “It’s unfortunate that Greyhound did not communicate their plans sooner. At no point did Greyhound reach out to me, or my staff, to have a conversation on solutions to keep people connected – something I would have expected, given their long history in this province,” she said.
“Greyhound’s decision to completely eliminate service in Western Canada by Oct. 31, is hugely problematic for people who depend on Greyhound in the Interior, Sea-to-Sky, and to get to and from Alberta. This move will leave people with limited options to get around, and this will likely impact the most vulnerable.
“In the weeks and months ahead, I will be sitting down with other service providers, the private sector and local government to discuss how we can ensure people have access to safe, reliable and affordable transportation to get from one community to the next. In the meantime, I hope that other local, private operators will see an opportunity to bring a badly needed service to the parts of the province most affected by Greyhound’s decision.”
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