THUNDER BAY -- Claiming weak inter-community transit leaves Northwestern Ontarians “vastly underserved,” Iain Angus launched a plea for between $3.5 million and $4 million in annual provincial subsidies on Saturday.
The Common Voice Northwest executive director presented a plan to the Kenora District Municipal Association that he sees as a solution to health-related travel across the region.
“The lack of proper inter-community bus service is forcing a lot of people to relocate permanently from the smaller communities to the larger urban centres -- whether it’s the Sioux Lookouts of the Drydens or the Thunder Bays -- because they need to be close to medical services and that is undermining the life of those small communities,” Angus said.
The 71-page The Future of Inter-Community Bus Service in Northwestern Ontario calls for the Ministry of Transportation to subsidize a daily bus network between Winnipeg, Fort Frances, Marathon and Greenstone. Buses would stop at hospitals and health clinics.
The plan encourages those subsidies extend to lower-demand routes that would serve communities beyond Highways 11 and 17. Angus pointed out that although many of those municipalities no longer have Ontario Works offices, the province requires social welfare recipients to physically attend offices to receive services.
Angus submitted the plan for the MTO’s consideration as it develops Northwestern Ontario’s Multimodal Transportation Strategy. It suggests either direct subsidy to the three bus lines that are currently active in the region or providing travel vouchers through Ontario Works and medical professionals.
The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association has endorsed the idea and Angus is now encouraging municipal councils across Northwestern Ontario to pass resolutions to show their support.
“We want to build a momentum to make sure government knows that on this one item, The Northwest is united in terms of looking for a solution to one of our major problems,” he said.
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