After a northern MLA lamented the lack of concrete plans and funding at last week’s travel symposium, change could be coming to the Highway of Tears.
According to the Canadian Press, Transportation Minister Todd Stone is weeks away from announcing transportation service changes.
The meeting in Smithers saw 26 Indigenous groups give input on travel options, like volunteer-driven vans linking reserves to communities, improved transit schedules, and expanding bus use, though Stone says a regional shuttle bus service favoured by some groups wouldn’t work.
North Coast NDP MLA Jennifer Rice and many other MLAs and First Nations leaders were not initially invited to the symposium.
First Nations Health Authority spokesperson Mark Matthew spoke to Vista Radio during the symposium, and felt strides were being made.
“More or less, tweaks to scheduling and frequency and acknowledging the services that are available currently that may have, not huge impacts, but definitely lead us down the right path.”