When Did Greyhound Stop Small Town Service

Greyhound Canada to cease service in Prairies, B.C., eliminating 415 jobs — and leaving small towns in the lurch

Only Ontario and Quebec will keep Greyhound motorcoach routes when the cancellations go into effect at the end of October

Jul 09, 2018 • July 10, 2018 • 4 minute read • Join the conversation

Greyhound Canada is blaming declining ridership every bit the primary culprit in its decision to eliminate rider passenger vehicle service in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and most of British Columbia. Photograph past Lyle Aspinall/Calgary Sun/QMI Bureau files

OTTAWA — Greyhound Canada, for decades a disquisitional link connecting the country's small towns and isolated communities with bigger urban centres, is pulling away for proficient in the Prairies, B.C. and northern Ontario, leaving activists and Indigenous leaders fearing for the health and welfare of those who live in remote locales.

Effective Oct. 31, Ontario and Quebec will exist the only regions where Greyhound'due south familiar galloping-dog logo continues to ply Canadian highways, salve for a lone route in B.C. between Vancouver and Seattle to exist operated past the company's much healthier American cousin, the company appear Monday.

"This decision is regretful and we sympathize with the fact that many small towns are going to lose service," said Greyhound Canada senior vice-president Stuart Kendrick.

"But simply put, the issue that we have seen is the routes in rural parts of Canada, specifically Western Canada, are just non sustainable anymore."

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Northern Canada is sure to be where the affect is felt about deeply, said Sheila North, grand chief of the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak and candidate for chief of the Assembly of Outset Nations.

"I retrieve this is abandoning the North," she said, citing a loftier demand in the region for transportation services — "especially for those that alive in poverty, but also who have medical needs that need to go down to the south for resources that are not accessible in the Due north."

Darlene Okemaysim-Sicotte, the co-chair of Saskatchewan-based Women Walking Together, described Greyhound'southward determination as triggering a "northern crisis."

"It's going to affect a lot of people (who will be) very, very isolated, especially the vulnerable people who have to deal with poverty and mental health and physical health issues that need treatment," Okemaysim-Sicotte said.

She cited testimony already given at the ongoing national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, where witnesses take talked at length most a chronic lack of transportation in more than remote regions of the country. Without Greyhound, fleeing domestic violence will be all but impossible for a lot of women, she warned.

Kendrick said the movement is going to cost some 415 jobs and impact an estimated 2 1000000 consumers.

The company is blaming a 41 per cent decline in ridership since 2010, persistent competition from subsidized national and inter-regional passenger transportation services, the growth of new low-toll airlines, regulatory constraints and the connected growth of machine ownership.

Declining ridership is the chief culprit, said Kendrick, who called the combination of declining ridership and increasing costs an "ongoing screw" that'due south making information technology impossible for the visitor to keep operations.

He said the company has raised its concerns with provincial and federal officials over the years and wanted to ensure both levels of authorities were "fully enlightened" of the situation. Greyhound Canada has long advocated for a community funding model to allow any private carrier to bid on essential rural services, he added.
Kendrick said Greyhound Canada will continue to push Ottawa to look at improving transport in northern communities.

"At that place was a commitment to look at our consequence, they're well aware of information technology. It shouldn't come as a surprise that we've had problems simply there was no funding commitment at that time," he said.

"The company has experienced significant losses despite continued efforts to return to viability. In the affected regions, the company has run an operating deficit since 2004. We accept had substantial losses over several years equally a straight result of failing ridership."

B.C. Transportation Minister Claire Trevena called Greyhound's movement hugely problematic for people who depend on the service in the province'south Interior and to get to and from Alberta.

"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 accept expected, given their long history in this province," Trevena said in a argument Mon.

"In the weeks and months alee, I will exist sitting down with other service providers, the private sector and local authorities to discuss how we can ensure people accept access to safe, reliable and affordable transportation to get from ane customs to the next."

The Associates of Manitoba Chiefs said its citizens rely on Greyhound "heavily" — especially for medical appointments.

"It is already well documented that our citizens have to ride the bus for hours, some longer than 14 hours, in club to see a physician. How will they get access to adequate health intendance at present?" Thou Principal Arlen Dumas wondered in a argument, which as well noted that "health care is a treaty correct."

Greyhound Canada said the majority of its routes in Ontario and Quebec would go on to operate, except for a number of services that brand use of the Trans-Canada Highway running between Sudbury and Winnipeg.

Kendrick said he understands that the decision volition leave nearly of the affected communities with no other transportation options.
Greyhound Canada practical to provincial regulators last twelvemonth to discontinue routes in northern B.C., including between Prince George to Prince Rupert, citing the problem of declining ridership. Those cancellations took upshot June 1.

The consequence of transportation along that road, which includes the notorious stretch of B.C.'s Highway sixteen known as the Highway of Tears, was a major betoken of contention terminal fall during hearings at the national inquiry for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, where a number of women accept gone missing.

North said Greyhound Canada's announcement volition make vulnerable people who rely on others for transportation "even more than vulnerable."

"It takes more control away from them and their safety they take less control."

When Did Greyhound Stop Small Town Service

Greyhound Canada to cease service in Prairies, B.C., eliminating 415 jobs — and leaving small towns in the lurch

Amid hits to reputation, Bombardier's rail division remains key to company's turnaround plan

TTC says 67 of its 89 Bombardier streetcars will be sent back for repairs

'Carmaggedon': Representatives warn tariffs would decimate motorcar industry

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