B.C.'s Passenger Transportation Board is expected to rule Wednesday on whether Greyhound Canada can stop offering bus service in northern British Columbia, but the results of that ruling may not be made immediately public, a spokesperson for the board said.

In August. 2017, the company applied to cease operations in the region, as well as on Vancouver Island, arguing ride-sharing companies and new public transit options were making it impossible to turn a profit.

The application drew immediate backlash from community leaders, who say the service is essential for connecting communities in remote parts of the province.

The Passenger Transportation Board, which is in charge of licensing taxi services, shuttle vans and inter-city buses in B.C., said it received more than 1,700 emails about the proposed elimination.

However, few members of the public turned out to a series of hearings in Prince George, Terrace, Smithers and Fort St. John in December.

Greyhound wants to scrap passengers routes from Prince Rupert to Prince George, Prince George to Valemount, Prince George to Dawson Creek and Dawson Creek to Whitehorse, citing new competition and fewer passengers. (OpenStreetMap Contributors, CartoDB)

Smithers Mayor Taylor Bachrach said he believes the lack of turnout had more to do with the timing of the hearings than people's interest in the subject.

"I've certainly heard a lot of concern," he said.

According to the Passenger Transportation Board's website, the target date for a decision on the application is Feb. 21.

However, a the decision will first be forwarded to Greyhound before being published in a weekly bulletin, a spokesperson for the board said.

The decision may also be delayed due to the complexity of the application.

The runs Greyhound wants to cease operation are: ​