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PRINCE GEORGE — Residents of remote communities across northern B.C. can count on an intercity bus service for at least another year.

The B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says the provincial and federal governments will share the cost of the service through March 2021.

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A statement from the ministry says the province and the federal government will each provide about $1 million in funding to support B.C. Bus North over the next 14 months.

But some fares will climb as the service aligns fares with the distance travelled by passengers. The updated fare schedule is expected to be published Friday on the service’s website.

The northern service launched in 2018 after privately operated bus routes were discontinued. The government says the service has carried almost 9,000 riders on four routes spanning the width of the province, from Valemount to Prince Rupert.

Melanie Joly, the federal minister of economic development and official languages, said dependable bus service is a lifeline in northern B.C.