THUNDER BAY - It’s full speed ahead for a local transportation company that is looking to expand its services.
Kasper Transportation is looking to expand into parts of Western Canada to fill a void after Greyhound announced in July they will cancel their services from Sudbury westward.
A new route connecting Thunder Bay to White River, Ont. will be launched on September 1 by Kasper.
After, the emphasis will be on connecting west of Thunder Bay, owner Kasper Wabinski said.
“The next 30 days are for finishing off the issues in Northern Ontario. The next two-to-four months are to take care of Manitoba. Hopefully some time next winter we can get into Saskatchewan.”
Wabinski said he’s received approval on a direct line between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg, and the route will open soon, although Wabinski could not give an exact date.
“We’re going to focus on filling gaps in Manitoba before October 31,” he said.
The company is also appealing to government at the federal and provincial level to help address the needs of customers impacted by the Greyhound closure.
In December 2017, the company collaborated with Ontario Northland Transportation Commission to establish a $40 million grant funding program to connect communities in Northern Ontario.
Wabinski said he hasn’t received any of the funding yet, but he’s confident the newly-elected government will work with Kasper to help expansion.
“The Ford government supports private enterprise a lot more, so we’re hoping to see the government make it a little easier for us.”
