While the United Manitoulin Transportation Group is still proceeding to a feasibility study to provide transportation across the Island and filling current gaps in service, its focus has changed.
This focus has changed as the result of the provincial government announcing it is expanding bus service across Northern Ontario as well as travel options in underserviced areas, including Manitoulin Island.
The group will be carrying out a feasibility study but expanding it from select communities to the entire Island, which would be connected with bus services out of Espanola.
Government officials from various ministries have stated they will be looking to provide a bus service for Manitoulin Island on the main routes, Highways 6 and Highway 540, but at this point haven’t determined how far west on the Island they will be going.
As far as funding for the transportation feasibility study for Manitoulin, the group has qualified through FedNor for the first step and is now moving onto the second phase to continue researching the plan.
