There’s no word from the private sector or the province in providing stable transportation in the Cariboo Chilcotin as Greyhound is set to discontinue operations next month.
“I have heard nothing,” Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett said.
“We will be back in Victoria next week and I will certainly ask the Minister what has been done as far as providing stable transportation right from the far north right through to Vancouver, Kamloops.”
Barnett adds that she’s had many people write her letters and also in her office who told her that their only means of travel in the Cariboo is Greyhound to see their families or doctor.
“Of course we do have the health bus, but that doesn’t always accommodate them. Sometimes people who are going to different areas they use the Greyhound,” Barnett said.
“And I know a lady who works three days a week up in Hixon and she takes the Greyhound to get there and get back especially in the winter time so I know it’s going to be devastating.”
Barnett says while local governments passed a resolution at UBCM asking the province to put together a transportation corridor plan, nothing has yet happened.
“We’ll just have to wait and see and hope that in the next couple of weeks we get some good information from somewhere.”
As for bringing back passenger railway, Barnett says the biggest issue was that it never could self-support itself.
“It sounds good but everything has to be self-sufficient or you really can’t do it,” she said.
“Mind you with all the subsidies for bridges and transit for the Lower Mainland, I think they should be at our table too.”
Greyhound Canada states on its website that it has taken the difficult decision to downsize its operations.
“The company has notified all proper authorities of its intention to discontinue some or all service – both passenger and freight — Effective October 31, 2018, at 11:59 PM,” it said.