Soon northern Manitoba residents will have bus service that travels to western Manitoba. Recently Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation (WSFN) purchased the old Greyhound Bus Depot in Brandon and formed an agreement with Mahihkan Bus Lines to have part of the building as a bus terminal/depot.
The former Greyhound Bus Depot is about 10,734 square feet and located on the southeast corner of Sixth Street and Rosser Avenue. It closed its doors when Greyhound ended service in October of 2018.
Also in that same time frame, First Nation owners of Aseneskak Casino in Opaskwayak Cree Nation, received approval from the Manitoba Motor Transport Board for its Kelsey Bus Lines division to conduct public transportation throughout Manitoba. The Kelsey Bus Lines division was sold and transferred the new partnership to form Mahihkan Bus Lines as of April 1, 2019.
The name Mahihkan, in Cree, means wolf, hence their slogan ‘Travel with the pack’. Currently Mahihkan Bus Lines travels to and stops in Flin Flon, The Pas, Wuskwi Sipihk, Swan River, Neepawa, Dauphin and Winnipeg.
WSFN’s new acquisition will result in not only further expansion for the First Nation community but also expansion of travel and shipping services for northern Manitoba. WSFN also plans to incorporate some economic spin-offs with a VLT lounge, smoke shop and restaurant within the building as well.
“We had a look at this property a while back and had a good opportunity to buy it,” said WSFN Chief Elwood Zastre. “We got it for a good deal. Brandon doesn’t have anything downtown for First Nations, so we are going to convert it into reserve land. Then we will be putting some businesses in there with it being a depot for the Mahihkan Bus Lines, and then some VLTs and possibly a pharmacy, with some space for office or business rentals as well.
“There are several great benefits for our people in this new venture. It’s going to employ our people in Brandon and get the bus line going into Brandon. Now people can take the bus from The Pas to Swan River to Brandon or Winnipeg.
“This will provide affordable transportation for people with medical appointments to go to the city and back home,” said Chief Zastre. “It will also help with freight and having things sent out and arriving to the north.”
“With a trusted partner in Brandon, we will be able to offer services between Brandon to Dauphin, which will connect with our current six days a week, from Sunday to Friday, that travels between Winnipeg and Flin Flon,” Mahihkan Bus Lines Operations Manager Aynsley Smith. “We are in the planning stages, but we are hoping the run will include more small towns that had bus service before the closure of Greyhound.
“The start date for these services really depends on when WSFN finishes their renovations and upgrades to the site. Currently, Mahihkan Bus’s Fleet includes seven motor coaches, four minibuses and 4-15 passenger vans. We will be offering the same six-day-a-week service that is offered on our current routes.”
Meetings have been held between WSFN and the City of Brandon and renovations are expected to commence soon in the very near future.
“We finished the deal and are in the process of starting renovations,” said Chief Zastre. “We met with the City of Brandon last month, and as a result, we have the permits and everything ready to go.
“This venture is all for our people and our future going forward.”