Shuttle services connecting Granisle to Houston and Burns Lake and Smithers and Houston to Telkwa and Smithers will continue to Spring 2027, indicates the agency distributing money on behalf of the provincial government.
The $5 million from the province announced May 29 will start to flow once a current round of grants announced last year expires in 2025 for 16 services for communities stretching from northeastern B.C. to Prince Rupert.
It’s being distributed by the Northern Development Initiative Trust which receives block grants from the province to finance the shuttle services.
Included in the list of services receiving money is BC Bus North, essentially a replacement service to Greyhound which has pulled out of the province. That service provides long-range transportation in the north while the other services offer shuttle runs over shorter distances.
The Village of Granisle is currently receiving $172,051 as of March 2022 for service three times a week — one trip to Burns Lake, one to Houston and one to Smithers.
Each trip begins in the morning and returns in the afternoon to allow for shopping and medical and other appointments.
“It is great news the province through NDIT has extended our northern shuttle services through 2027,” said Granisle mayor Linda Maguire.
“Any services that can enhance transportation for the north is fully supported and embraced to help our northern residents experiencing transportation limitations.”
The Dze L’Kant Friendship Centre Society does not offer a scheduled service between Houston, Telkwa and Smithers but does have a vehicle and driver that can be booked to meet specific requirements.
These requirements include medical appointments, court appointments and other services in which a person has to be at a specific location at a specific time.
The grant provided to the friendship centre is for $150,000.
When the shuttle service grants were first announced there were 19 recipients, including BC Bus North.
The District of Stewart and the Kwadacha Nation north of Prince George were approved to receive grants but have yet to start operating.
Northern Development Initiative Trust communications officer Anna Duff said no decisions have been made yet on how the new money will be distributed.