You’ll soon be able to take the bus to work, school or appointments once again.

 

Thompson City Council has approved a resolution to finalize and enter into a transit contract with Maple Bus Lines, who will provide transit services within the city until the end of June.

 

Seven of the eight members of council voted in favour of the resolution, with Councillor Duncan Wong making the choice to abstain from voting all together rather than voting against.

 

Wong was the first councillor to speak on the resolution and started off by thanking City administration for their hard work in getting this resolution to council, specifically City Manager Anthony McInnis and CFO Jenny Krentz. Wong then said that he wants to make it clear that he’s not against transit, but is concerned with the cost to the taxpayer on this short-term agreement. He said that he had suggested a different approach to transit, but that that his colleagues “don’t have the appetite” to entertain that issue.

 

Councillor Earl Colbourne spoke in favour of the resolution saying that this isn’t the final answer to transit, but rather paves the way to a long-term solution.

 

Councillor Judy Kolada, who also spoke in favour, said that while transit is needed in a city the size of Thompson, council and administration might need to consider raising transit fees to help offset the cost.

 

Councillor Les Ellsworth spoke just before council voted on the resolution, and said that the City needs to look towards the future rather than living in the past. Ellsworth also said that he spent “many sleepless nights” thinking about all of the students who missed school because of the lack of transit.

 

The City has been without municipal transit since Greyhound left western Canada at the end of October, though Maple Bus Lines has been providing some service along the Eastwood bus route to SDML and UCN students throughout the winter months.