First Nation buys bus depot, plans to revitalize northern bus service to Brandon

A Manitoba First Nation wants to make southwestern Manitoba's biggest city more accessible for northern communities by reopening Brandon's bus depot.

Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation, located about 375 kilometres north of Brandon, purchased the former Greyhoud bus depot about a year ago and is now completing renovations. The depot, located at Sixth Street and Roser Avenue, was originally closed and put up for sale in 2017.

Chief Elwood Zastre said buying the depot is an opportunity for the First Nation's economic expansion and it will ensure northerners have easier transportation to the urban centre.

"We do a lot of our medical appointments there and if we didn't have a place for our people to get a ride on the bus it would be very difficult," Zastre said. "It's going to benefit a lot of people."

Zastre said along with housing a bus line, they are also looking at potentially including VLTs, a pharmacy and a restaurant in the space.

"We're going to have a better opportunity for all people to use this transportation," Zastre said. "It's going to benefit our people for the future for our revenue to bring to our community."

Bus line fills gap

Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation is one of the six First Nation co-owners of Mahihkan Bus Lines, which launched in 2019. The bus line will use the space once it opens.

Aynsley Smith, Mahihkan operations manager, says there has been a service gap for northern communities since Greyhound ended services across Manitoba in 2018. 

With the addition of a Brandon depot, Mahihkan is going to try and visit more communities to ensure they have transportation, especially for medical appointments with Prairie Mountain Health, she said.

When the depot opens it will give Mahihkan a trusted partner where they can ensure people dropped off are taken care of when they come for medical care, Smith said.

It will also make it easier for First Nation students pursuing post-secondary education who want a link home, she said.

"It'll help connect the north to the second-largest city in Manitoba," Smith said. "It's just making it easier for people that need to get to Brandon for medical, or students that are from some of the northern communities ... to get to and from home on the weekend."

Building a future

Zastre said now was the time to expand after years of inaction. As leaders, council wanted to create something that would benefit future generations by purchasing the bus terminal, he said.

"They are the ones that are going to be here, we're not going to be here that long," Zastre said. "We got to leave something behind for our kids to benefit from."

He says the depot will generate revenue, while also offering job opportunities for First Nation members. 

"We have to have our own revenue coming in to better our children's lives, our elders and our people," Zastre said. "This is a way to start."

His hope is they will learn how to grow and maintain businesses for the generations after them.

Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation is currently working with the City of Brandon to secure final permits and complete renovations.

Zastre could not confirm when the depot will open or the final costs of the project.

The buses will begin rolling once permits and renovations are finalized, Smith said. Once completed, Mahihkan will aims to have service six days a week in Brandon.

"We're just looking forward to being able to help other people and add some communities that are underserved to our services," Smith said.