Local Journalism Initiative
Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative, The Northern View
Residents of Port Edward are expressing growing frustration over limited bus services to and from Prince Rupert, urging calls for expanded transportation options.
Terri Mayer is a 61-year-old mother living in Port Edward who works at the Walmart in Prince Rupert.
“If I work till six o’clock, I have no way home. It’s a $50 cab ride to get home.”
Terri Mayer, mother and resident of Port Edward
“I’m fighting for nighttime buses. There’s no buses after five o’clock. There’s no store in Port Ed. There’s no way to get milk, cream, nothing. There’s single moms out there with families, there’s elderly people that have no way in or out after five o’clock. We are stranded,” said Mayer.
Currently, the last bus from Prince Rupert to Port Edward departs at 5:10 p.m., which many residents find highly inconvenient, especially for those working in Prince Rupert who also need time to complete daily activities.
“Prior to 2020, service was provided on this route until 10:30pm but was reduced due to low ridership and demand during the pandemic.”
Jamie Weiss, Senior Media Relations and Public Affairs Advisor for BC Transit
“If I work till six o’clock, I have no way home. It’s a $50 cab ride to get home,” said Mayer.
“Prior to 2020, service was provided on this route until 10:30pm but was reduced due to low ridership and demand during the pandemic,” said Jamie Weiss, Senior Media Relations and Public Affairs Advisor for BC Transit. Following the end of the pandemic, the original schedule was not reinstated.
About 80 Port Edward residents have signed a petition to BC Transit and the District of Port Edward, calling for change.
Port Edward has an estimated population of 470 and is about a 20-minute drive from Prince Rupert. The community has no local gas station, grocery store, restaurant, or café.
“It is an essential service that we have that bus go later,” said Mayer.
“People that don’t have a car would also like to come in [to Rupert] and go to a movie, but they can’t. We are all trapped out there after five o’clock, unless you have a car.”
Mayer shares that last May, she was forced to lose her job in Rupert and eventually her apartment because she couldn’t work later than 4:30 and secure enough hours a week. At one point, her hours had been reduced to eight per week because the employer stopped giving her longer, more frequent shifts.
Fortunately, she recently got a job in Rupert again.
“I’m desperate, though. I’m gonna lose my job again if I don’t get more buses and more times,” said Mayer.
Five weekday buses run from Port Edward to Prince Rupert between 7:35 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. There are four buses on Saturdays, and no service is available on Sundays.
Mayer emphasizes that if Port Edward had a store with essential items, she might not have gone ahead with the petition. But the lack of one makes reliable transportation even more critical.
Weiss explained that expanding the bus service requires additional funding from both local governments and the Province, as BC Transit services are cost-shared between the municipalities and the Province.
“Decisions around service levels are made by local government partners,” said Weiss.
“We fully understand that busses are an essential need, and we get it.”
Daphne Thomson, Port Edward’s Director of Legislative Services
BC Transit works with the District to develop, cost and prioritize their service expansion proposals, then obtain local funding approval for their share of expansion costs. Once requests for expansion are formalized, BC Transit proceeds with a request to secure funding from the Province within the provincial budget on behalf of local governments.
She confirmed that if the local governments want, the organization would work with the District of Port Edward and the City of Prince Rupert on future service expansions.
“We fully understand that buses are an essential need, and we get it,” said Daphne Thomson, Port Edward’s director of legislative services.
However, she is concerned about the potential impact on taxpayers, as the District estimates adding even a single additional bus route could be very costly. She highlighted that BC Transit is not in charge of the District.
“They render a service. It’s the District that pays for the service,” said the director.
“We have to figure out what is actually the most cost-effective way to still assist them. Because our stats that we got from BC transit are showing that very few people actually make use of the bus service right now.”
Daphne Thomson, Port Edward’s Director of Legislative Services
Mayer has been attending public engagement sessions with the District, where she has voiced her struggles with transportation. She remains unsatisfied with the explanation that bus routes are too expensive, questioning how the District was able to fund them before COVID-19.
Thomson says she is working toward the most effective solution through public engagement, including online surveys and newsletters. She believes that understanding how many residents would actually use the service will help determine the most efficient mode and method of transportation. She’s also open to exploring alternative options, such as group taxis, trolley shuttles, and other community-based transit models.
“We have to figure out what is actually the most cost-effective way to still assist them,” said Thomson. “Because our stats that we got from BC transit are showing that very few people actually make use of the bus service right now.”
She believes it’s important to consider all available options before council decides, and she hopes the outcome will best serve the entire community.
“It’s all about the timing right now. I hope the process does not take too long,” said Mayer.
The Walmart worker remains worried about whether her new employer will offer her long, weekly shifts or if limited bus services will again restrict her ability to work to her full potential.
