B.C. auditor general examining sustainability of government-run bus services in northern region

B.C.'s Office of the Auditor General is looking at the sustainability of government-run bus services for northern communities, three years after long-haul bus companies shut down operation in the region.

In a video statement May 7, Auditor General Michael Pickup said he expects to complete the assessment by this fall on B.C. Bus North, a ground transportation program jointly funded by the provincial and federal governments after Greyhound stopped operating in the region in 2018.

Pickup said he will examine whether the Ministry of Transportation has ensured effective services for northern residents, and whether it has plans to make these services sustainable. 

"We are doing this by assessing whether the ministry is ensuring the delivery of a safe, reliable, affordable and efficient temporary service and developing a plan for a long term solution," he said in the statement.

WATCH | B.C. Auditor General Michael Pickup's announcement of audit on B.C. Bus North program

The auditor general's announcement came at a time when Greyhound announced the permanent termination of all its services across Canada. 

The B.C. Bus North service has been extended three times since it was created. 

The Ministry of Transportation told CBC News that the bus service will run until March 31, 2022, thanks to the continued financial support from Western Economic Diversification Canada.