Ontario Northland Introduces Bus Service to Manitoulin Island

Apr 6, 2018 @ 08:09

Ontario Northland is expanding its bus service to Manitoulin Island starting next week. The new route will make transportation easier for residents of Manitoulin Island by providing weekday return service to Sudbury with connections beyond. This is the first time bus service has been offered to the Island in decades. This new service will begin Monday, April 9th.

“Ontario Northland’s motor coach service will operate five days per week and will add 15 new stops to service Manitoulin Island,” says Tracy MacPhee, Director of Passenger Operations. “Our new service will include a stop at Sudbury’s Health Sciences North, providing passengers from Manitoulin Island the ability to attend medical appointments in the afternoon and return home the same evening. The service is ideal for passengers travelling for medical reasons, shopping, school, or family visits.”

By adding this route Ontario Northland will serve an additional 15 communities, increasing Ontario Northland’s service area to 150 communities overall. “Our team is excited to provide scheduled bus service to the communities on Manitoulin Island,” says MacPhee.  “We look forward to introducing Ontario Northland’s safe and reliable motor coach service to this new market and growing our ridership.”

The expansion is part of the provincial government’s commitment to improved intercommunity bus transportation in the North as announced in December 2017.

Ontario Northland provides reliable transportation services throughout Northern Ontario.

Motor Coach Facts:

  • 243,482 passengers travelled on Ontario Northland’s motor coaches in 2017
  • 15 new agencies are now in service on Manitoulin Island consisting of small businesses, gas stations and convenience stores etc. Customers can buy tickets at an agency, or on online at ontarionorthland.ca.
  • Each day Ontario Northland motor coaches travel over 10,000 km – a greater distance than the distance from Canada’s coast to coast
  • 75% of our motor coaches are accessible
  • ONTC employs 55 motor coach operators and five truck and coach technicians

Manitoulin Service Map

Manitoulin Island Schedule Effective April 9th, 2018

This Media Release