Skip to main content

Regional airports and a bus system serving rural and remote communities in British Columbia are getting nearly $27-million in funding from the province.

Premier John Horgan says intercity bus operators are now eligible to apply for $10.7-million in grants, and $16.7-million has been set aside for airports to support services from next month until March 2022.

He says the transportation network connecting communities suffered a significant drop in ridership, and the funding will help get them through the pandemic.

John Wilson, president of Wilson’s Group of Companies, says the funding will help continue service for bus riders, including First Nations communities, who depend on a reliable mode of transportation on Vancouver Island.

Heather Bell, chair of the B.C. Aviation Council, says airports will play a vital role in the province’s economy as air travel resumes.

She says the federal government also needs to provide targeted financial support to the sector, which was already experiencing a shortage of workers including pilots, air traffic controllers and maintenance engineers.

Our Morning Update and Evening Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the day’s most important headlines. Sign up today.

Follow related authors and topics

Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following.

Interact with The Globe