Article content continued

Only a bus route between Vancouver and Seattle will continue.

Lampman has been advocating for the return of train service through the corridor for the past three years, but she said the departure of Greyhound will exacerbate the transportation issues for communities along the route.

“My community has never had bus service, and when the train was taken down, it left us with only one option, and that is by vehicle, and it put many hardships on my community members and surrounding communities,” Lampman said.

She said the rail line, which is now owned by Canadian National Railway and used for freight, sits empty most of the time, and she believes there could be benefits for tourism, for local businesses, for the environment, and for people who don’t drive but need to travel safely between cities.

Lampman envisions a service similar to the Cariboo Prospector, which ran for 46 years using diesel-powered Budd cars. She said it would not be prohibitively expensive, so it would be an option for people who previously relied on Greyhound.

“It would not be feasible for it to be outrageous,” she said. “This is a train for the average person.”

Lampman has requested a meeting with Premier John Horgan during the Union of B.C. Municipalities annual conference in September, so she can discuss the proposal. She would like the province to fund and conduct a feasibility study in partnership with Via Rail, which is a federal Crown corporation.