Bombshell alert...
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/09/03/greyhound-bus-stoppage.html
Greyhound bus service to halt in Man., parts of Ont.
Last Updated: Thursday, September 3, 2009 | 1:06 PM ET
CBC News
Greyhound Canada is ceasing bus operations in Manitoba and northwestern
Ontario, blaming a lack of government subsidies for unprofitable rural routes.
The company, based in Burlington, Ont., also said it is reviewing its
operations in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the Yukon and the
Northwest Territories.
Karen Gordon, spokesperson for Greyhound, said the problem is that too many
rural routes aren't profitable and the government has refused to subsidize them.
"Bus operators are expected to financially support unprofitable routes to
small-town Canada. Greyhound's situation now is we're no longer in a position
to subsidize money-losing routes," Gordon said.
The company has been negotiating with the Manitoba government, as well as with
federal politicians in Ottawa but has had no success, Gordon said. She said
Greyhound will continue to pursue government assistance in the coming weeks.
In a dire situation
Stuart Kendrick, senior vice-president of Greyhound Canada, said the company is
in a "dire" financial situation, and that government is to blame.
Greyhound said Thursday it is giving 30 days notice to the Manitoba Highway
Traffic Board so that passenger tickets sold to date in that province can be
honoured.
In Ontario, Greyhound is giving 90 days notice to the Ontario Highway Transport
Board, meaning Greyhound service in northwestern Ontario will stop as of Dec. 2.
In August, Greyhound opened the doors on a new $6.3-million bus terminal out by
Winnipeg's international airport, about eight kilometres from an older facility
in the same area.
At the time, Greyhound had planned to run its 48 daily trips to places such as
Brandon, Man., Calgary and Minneapolis, Minn., as well as its courier business,
from that terminal.
The company has not given information on the fate of the Winnipeg terminal.
