NDP calls for public inter-city transport for Canadians

OTTAWA – Following Greyhound’s announcement to end service, NDP transport critic Taylor Bachrach (Skeena-Bulkley Valley) and critic for public ownership Matthew Green (Hamilton Centre) called on the Minister of Transport to provide a plan for public inter-city bus transport to ensure that rural Canadians are not cut off.

“The end of Greyhound is devastating news for many rural Canadians,” said Bachrach. “In 2018 when Greyhound pulled out of Western Canada, the NDP urged the federal government to look at solutions that could keep this vital service running. Instead, the Liberals stood by while the last routes disappeared. Now the situation is more urgent than ever. The government needs to step forward with a clear strategy to reconnect communities and keep rural Canadians safe. A national, public bus service would help to reconnect rural Canada.”

New Democrats’ call for the federal government to support a national public transport model reflect the lessons learned after the cancellation of Greyhound service in western Canada in 2018. An affordable bus system is needed to reconnect communities and ensure students, seniors, Indigenous communities and others interested in safe, green transport can get to where they need to go.

“The loss of affordable, safe transportation will disproportionately impact the most vulnerable residents of many communities,” said Green. “We need a public bus option to keep transit users safe and to ensure that every community in Canada has the same opportunities to access jobs, education, and services like healthcare. Without action from the federal government, people who cannot afford a car will be left with few options to get around.”