Greyhound calls on B.C. government for more funding

Greyhound Canada is calling on the provincial government to help address restricted bus access in rural and remote communities.

The company says in a news release today, Dec. 11, it is asking the province to create a "connecting communities fund." It says similar investments in different jurisdictions have helped bridge the gap between smaller population centres and reliable transportation services.

Greyhound says rural and remote communities rely on transportation to larger centres which provide essential health services, employment opportunities and post-secondary education.

The creation of the fund will link public and private resource to intercity bus services, Greyhound says. Municipalities and First Nations across the province would access the fund and seek competitive bids in a process with private sector operators who can link rural and remote residents to regional hubs.

Greyhound says the process would be open to all bidders to select the best private sector transportation provider by community. 

"We welcome the opportunity to work with all levels of government to find viable, sustainable solutions for rural connectivity."

This move from Greyhound comes after it proposed cuts to routes across the province.

According to a Passenger Transportation Board application filed earlier this year, the bus company wants to reduce service on a number of routes including Kamloops through Vernon to Kelowna, Vancouver through the Similkameen to Osoyoos, Kelowna to the Alberta border and Kelowna to Vancouver. A number of Northern B.C. routes would also be eliminated if the application is approved.

Greyhound says routes won't be affected pending a review and approval of the application.

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