THUNDER BAY – Bus service to Ontario’s northwest is schedule to return this weekend.
The provincially funded Ontario Northland buses begin their routes through the region on Monday. A pair of buses arrived in the city on Tuesday from Sault Ste. Marie, part of a training exercise for staff, before continuing westward.
A twice-weekly route will travel from Thunder Bay to Winnipeg, with stops in Dryden and Kenora, as well as Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg and the University of Winnipeg. Service has also been added between Thunder Bay and White River, with three return trips per week.
The Winnipeg route will begin on Monday, while the eastward service starts on Sunday, the first bus scheduled to leave for Sault Ste. Marie at 2 p.m.
"People in Northern Ontario deserve access to safe and reliable public transportation that connects them to employment opportunities, medical appointments and other essential services," said Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney, in a release issued on Thursday.
"Our government is working closely with the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission to fill the recent gap in the Northwest."
Sources indicate the Happy Time Tour property on Walsh Street will act as the Thunder Bay terminal for the immediate future.
The new route along Lake Superior’s North Shore was announced in February and was slated to begin in mid-April, but was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It's great news," said Northwestern Ontario Muncipal Association president Wendy Landry. "We've been advocating for the connection to our communities ever since Greyhound went down -- even before Greyhound went down on the intercommunity bus services.
"Now with Kasper (Transportation) taking a break with his service as well, there's absolutely no ability for people to transfer from the Sault Ste. Marie area to Thunder Bay."
Conservative Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford said it's great news for the region to have a permanent transportation solution in place.
"For too long Northwestern Ontario has been excluded from Ontario's passenger transportation network and today our government is keeping its promise to bring reliable and safe bus transportation to the Northwest," Rickford said.
"I am proud to see the ONTC connect people and communities from Thunder Bay to Winnipeg and everywhere in between."
The province, which declined comment on Wednesday, is expected to officially announce the start of service on Thursday.
The first bus will leave Thunder Bay for Sault Ste. Marie at 2 p.m. on Sunday, with a return trip scheduled to arrive in the city the following morning.
