A provincial decision on whether or not to accept Greyhound’s proposed service cuts will be made public next week.
The B.C. Passenger Transportation Board, a regulatory body that is reviewing Greyhound’s request, posted to its website Friday that it will make its ruling on Wednesday.
If approved, Nelson would be one of the cities affected by the cuts. Nelson is on one of 10 routes that could be cut down to service just two days a week. Currently a Greyhound bus makes two stops a day, one eastbound and one west to Kelowna, in Nelson seven days a week.
In October, city council voted to write a letter to the board protesting Greyhound’s plan. Mayor Deb Kozak told the Star on Friday that the city has not heard what the board’s decision is.
Related: Greyhound applies to cut Nelson service to two days a week
Tom Thomson, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, said service cuts to the region would affect both riders and local business.
“It is challenging for sure and it would be detrimental to the community as services have been reduced in the past,” he said. “From a business perspective it’s certainly problematic for freight coming in and out on a regular basis.”
Greyhound also asked the board last August for permission to cut six routes in Northern B.C. and three more on the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.