Greyhound Canada is ending its passenger bus and freight services in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and cancelling all but one route in B.C. — a U.S.-run service between Vancouver and Seattle.

This will end Fernie’s only public transportation service connecting with other communities. It also ends Fernie’s only the next day parcel business that many businesses rely on.

The changes take effect the end of October, which will make Ontario and Quebec the only regions where the familiar running-dog logo will continue to grace Canadian highways.

“This decision is regretful and we sympathize with the fact that many small towns are going to lose service,” Greyhound Canada senior vice-president Stuart Kendrick said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

“But simply put, the issue that we have seen is the routes in rural parts of Canada — specifically Western Canada — are just not sustainable anymore.

“Wayne Stekski, Kootenay-Columbia MP, commented on Facebook, “Like many of you, I was shocked by yesterday’s announcement that Greyhound Bus Lines will no longer service most of British Columbia.

We have over 50 communities in our riding of Kootenay-Columbia, and it’s common for people to need to travel between communities for school, for work, or for family and other needs. Not everyone can afford a car, nor should they. Canadians are dependent on affordable transit alternatives like commercial bus lines.

It is unacceptable that the bus will no longer be an option for our citizens. I am writing the Minister of Transportation to determine what we can do to ensure that affordable transportation continues to exist, here and across Canada.”