Greyhound Canada still searching for government support

Greyhound Canada is looking to upper levels of government to help prop up money-losing routes in rural Canada.

Company senior vice-president Stuart Kendrick said while Greyhound did retain its routes in Northwestern Ontario after threatening to pull service last December, it’s not a service they’ll continue permanently unless a federal-provincial task force comes up with viable solutions when it presents a September report on the future of bus service in Canada.

There’s no doubt in his mind that Greyhound – or any other bus service that takes its place – will need help.

"It is clear from many years of operating the lines through the small communities that it’s not sustainable," he said, hours before meeting with Mayor Lynn Peterson and other city officials in an attempt to impress on them the importance of the upcoming report.

Kendrick’s biggest fear is the task force will decide to go with the status quo. That would be disastrous, he said.

"We believe that leaving it as it is could result, and will result, in reductions of service by many companies in the industry, including Greyhound."

The news comes months after Greyhound served the region notice that it was pulling its service between Sault Ste. Marie in Winnipeg, a notion that did not sit well with regional leaders, many of whom would have seen their communities made even more isolated given the lack of passenger rail service in parts of Northwestern Ontario.

A deal was reached at the last minute to save the service, an agreement that allowed Greyhound to reduce the number of trips between some communities during the winter off-season.

Kendrick is not ruling out further cuts in the region.

"It’s quite possible," he said. "But again, we’re optimistic that the importance of the service to this community, who rely on this service, is recognized at each level of government and that a long-term solution will happen."

Some routes, he added, were run with as few as seven people aboard the bus. But as it stands, the company has no choice in the matter, as it is regulated to take on the less profitable runs in order to secure higher density routes in southern Ontario.

Kendrick said he was not in town to ask for handouts or money, calling that a Band-Aid solution.

"We’re here to collaborate, not confront … Overall we just hope that local communities understand what’s in store," he said.

Coun. Iain Angus said Thunder Bay is fully aware of the impact the loss of bus service could have on the city.

He also said he understands the economic reality the bus companies are facing, adding the city will push the task force to find a solution that keeps the service running. But that’s about all they can do, he said.

"At the end of the day, it is going to be up to the feds and the province to decide how to do this," Angus said when reached by phone on Thursday afternoon. "A lot of the routes are in fact never going to be profitable."

Angus added he plans to pass the information along to the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association, who Greyhound has agreed to meet with in June