The Liberal Fraser-Nicola MLA says it might be time for the government to subsidize a bus service for rural areas without one.

Jackie Tegart points out the government has already funded the new BC Bus North in the northern half of the province.

“They’ve stepped up to the plate in the north. When we look at our small rural communities, we will be a loud voice in Victoria. If we don’t have private enterprise step up, then we expect government to put something in place,” she says.

“If you take a look at the present government, they don’t have a lot of voices above Hope. And so we’re that voice, and we’ll be lobbying to make sure our constituents have those services.”

About 17 per cent of routes that Greyhound used to service in B.C. still haven’t been filled.

Those include routes from Kamloops to Cache Creek and Princeton to Hope which are within Tegart’s riding.