‘Not good enough’: Sask. turns down feds bus funding offer

The Saskatchewan government is turning down a share of federal cash aimed at subsidizing inter-city bus service until it has more information to go on.

Crown Investments Corporation Minister Joe Hargrave confirmed Wednesday that the federal government offered western provinces $10 million to help fill the gap left by the end of Greyhound service in October.

He said Saskatchewan would have received about $2 million in funding, but they weren’t given much information on how that money would have to be spent.

“Right now they have no details other than, ‘well, we’re just throwing this number out,'” Hargrave told reporters in Saskatoon.

“That’s not good enough for us.”

He said he had a phone discussion with federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau earlier this week about the funding, and brought forward several ideas for how money could be used.

The ideas included giving financial boosts to private companies in northern Saskatchewan that are trying to fill the gap left by the closure of the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) in 2017.

“They could use a hand, maybe to put in some lifts for the disabled or various things to convert their equipment … maybe some grants if the federal government was willing,” Hargrave said.

“(Garneau) said, ‘well, we’re not willing to do that.'”

Hargrave added that the potential funding of around $2 million wouldn’t be enough money to operate a public bus company, noting STC would have required $85 million over five years to continue operations past May 2017.

He did say the province would be willing to continue negotiations over potential bus system funding with the federal government if Garneau’s office returns with feedback on proposed ideas or has more details to offer.

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili criticized the funding rejection by the provincial government, saying Hargrave and Premier Scott Moe should have gone to the negotiating table.

“It’s not entirely clear what was offered, partly because they didn’t go to the table,” Meili said.

“That to me is extremely weak leadership. They’re leaving money on the table and leaving people stuck on the side of the road.”