It's the end of an era for the Saskatchewan Transportation Company, after almost seven decades; the province is putting the brakes on the bus service today.
The last passenger trips will run today. STC's website says trips will stop today when a bus reaches Regina, Saskatoon or Prince Albert. STC’s cargo service was halted on May 19.
The closure was announced in the provincial budget in March. Since the announcement, there has been vocal opposition from across the province, from rallies and protests to a legal challenge.
Earlier this month, the union that represents STC workers filed an injunction to stop the closure, but the judge threw the challenge out.
The government is hoping private companies will fill the void in the wake of the closure, but a former STC Minister says it isn’t enough. Don Cody is now a city councilor in Prince Albert, he was the Minister for STC from 1978 to 1982. He says the closure will have a devastating effect on the north.
“People who are on pensions don't have a lot of extra money, and they are the ones that need service,” Cody told CTV News. “They aren't going to get it.”
Anyone who still has unused passenger tickets will be offered a refund, as long as the ticket holder applies for the refund by June 30, 2017.
