The City of Thompson is taking a stance on whether or not Greyhound Canada should continue offering inter-city bus service in the North, saying that without the "affordable, dependable" public transit system Greyhound offers across Northern Manitoba, people and their communities will become "further isolated".
The Manitoba Intercity Bus Project was discussed in Thompson on June 2 at the multipurpose room of the Thompson Regional Community Centre from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Motor Transport Board's mandate is to ensure all Manitobans are provided with adequate transportation services at a "reasonable cost" through the administration of a regulatory system under the Highway Traffic Act, governing motor carriers operating public service vehicles.
During the City of Thompson's presentation about Greyhound bus service, it was said that a multitude of people need the service, including people from surrounding communities and Thompson, people using the airport travelling from small communities, people requiring services in Thompson, people travelling to other communities or service points, and people requiring timely freight movement in communities.
Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton announced in March that the province would invest $3.12 million for a one-year service maintenance agreement with Greyhound, to make sure passenger bus service continues in Manitoba until a "long-term" solution is found.
The long-term solution, according to the province, will look at including consultations to help communities come up with options for the current inter-city bus network, like the one held in Thompson on June 2. Meetings have been held in communities across Northern Manitoba starting this spring.
Around the same time Ashton made the funding announcement, Stuart Kendrick, senior vice-president of Greyhound Canada, said he welcomed the agreement and the type of partnership that he could see being formed by public and private sectors, citing a "mutual commitment" to deliver services to communities of all sizes.
