Maritime provinces provide financial support to regional bus service

Maritime Bus provides service throughout the three Maritime provinces.

The three Maritime provinces have announced they are providing financial support to Tri-Maritime Bus in order to maintain bus operations throughout the region.

Tri-Maritime bus, which operates Maritime Bus, is a family-owned and operated business based in Prince Edward Island. The company took over Acadian Lines routes in 2012.

Prince Edward Island announced it’s allocated $90,000 to the company, while New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are each contributing over $400,000.

“The financial support of each province is proportional, based on the ratio of kilometres driven by Maritime Bus in each province,” reads a news release from the Nova Scotia government.

According to the three provinces, the funds will help cover losses incurred due to the pandemic, maintain rural routes, and respond to the increased desire to travel as the economy and tourism begin to rebound.

“Maritime Bus provides an important, accessible and affordable bus service linking Nova Scotia communities within our province and to our Maritime neighbours,” said N.S. Public Works Minister Kim Masland in a news release.

“Supporting this company as we recover from the pandemic will ensure that it can continue to move passengers from region to region for work, scheduled appointments, post-secondary commutes, sporting and social events, and visiting family and friends,” said N.B. Environment and Climate Change Minister Gary Crossman, who is also minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation.

To date, P.E.I. says the province has provided over $285,400 to Tri-Maritime Bus to cover operating shortfalls as a result of the pandemic.

“The Province of Prince Edward Island is committed to public transit in order to deliver environmentally responsible transportation, to encourage efficient use of our road system and to offer greater mobility to all Islanders,” said P.E.I. Transportation and Infrastructure Minister James Aylward.

Maritime Bus also provides parcel freight services, including blood shipped by Canadian Blood Services throughout the Maritime hospital network and other medical shipments among hospitals and pharmacies.