Greyhound is pulling its services out of Canada, leaving many rural and low-income communities stranded. [1] It’s a massive loss to all of us who rely on Greyhound to get to work, visit our families, and access critical services.
Private companies are clamouring to fill the gap Greyhound left behind — and they’re fully prepared to abandon remote and Indigenous communities in favour of more lucrative routes. [2]
The Feds are in crisis talks to replace Greyhound — and companies like Megabus are fighting hard to get in on the new market. [3] Time is short — but a massive injection of public pressure could be enough to force a publicly-funded national bus service into the Federal conversation.
This move could mean social and economic isolation for thousands. And for many Indigenous women, the difference between a bus ride and a hitchhike could be life and death. [4]
For years, the federal government has been outsourcing public goods to private corporations. [5] From the COVID crisis in private long-term care homes to the rising cost of bus tickets, big companies have shown they’re only too willing to sacrifice our communities in the name of profit. [6] A publicly-backed inter-city bus system would mean that Canadians across the country would have access to low-cost, reliable and green transportation – no matter where they live.