A B.C. politician, whose region is dotted with small towns and cities, says the provincial government needs to stand up for rural communities after Greyhound announced on Monday it was all but abandoning Western Canada.
“This is going to negatively impact countless seniors in our region,” Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson said in a press release. “Many are dependent on Greyhound for travel to medical appointments in larger centres, and they are now left with no other options.”
A member of the B.C. Liberal party, Larson then played politics as she tried to link Greyhound’s decision with the provincial government.
“This government seems complacent with gradual reductions in services to rural communities, over time making our province’s small towns less desirable places to live, especially as people age,” said Larson. “Without a government willing to stand up for rural B.C., each and every cut and cancellation is another serious threat to our communities and livelihoods.”
Meanwhile, in Victoria, Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, wished that Greyhound had consulted the government before announcing its plans to discontinue its intercity bus service.
“Greyhound’s decision to completely eliminate service in Western Canada by Oct. 31, 2018, is hugely problematic for people who depend on Greyhound in the Interior, Sea-to-Sky, and to get to and from Alberta,” said Trevena. “This move will leave people with limited options to get around, and this will likely impact the most vulnerable.
“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.
“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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