THUNDER BAY — If Ontario Northland is planning to expand its existing bus service in Northwestern Ontario, it's not saying when that might happen.
A spokeswoman for the North Bay-based service provided only a general response when asked about expansion plans in the region.
"Ontario Northland regularly explores route changes and service expansions to better serve our customers and has ongoing discussions to help inform transportation needs as we continue to evolve our services," the spokeswoman said in an email on Friday.
In a letter last month to Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) chair Alan Spacek, Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association president Wendy Landry said a bus-service expansion would "increase efficiency and reliability" on highways 11 and 17.
"We strongly encourage (the commission) and the provincial government to expand motor coach services to include north to south routes to connect those communities (such as Red Lake, Ear Falls, Sioux Lookout, among others) to highways 11 and 17," added Landry, who is also Shuniah's mayor.
In May 2020, Ontario Northland began offering bus service between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg, with two return trips per week, following Greyhound Canada's pullout from the region.
Ontario Northland bus service was later expanded to include Thunder Bay to White River. Greyhound pulled out of Canada in 2021.
Thunder Bay-based Kasper Transportation also provides regular bus service in the Thunder Bay district.
The Chronicle Journal / Local Journalism Initiative