Yukon MP Brendan Hanley, Liard First Nation Chief Stephen Charlie and First Kaska GP Ltd. CEO Jasper Lamourelle following the announcement of the new Dawson-Whitehorse shuttle route. Photo Courtesy of Macklen Linke/CKRW.
Whitehorse, YT – After running a shuttle route serving communities between Watson Lake and Whitehorse for five years First Kaska GP Ltd. will be expanding its service between Dawson City and the capital providing vulnerable individuals in rural communities a safe transportation option.
First Kaska, the economic development corperation of the Liard First Nation, will add two new transit stops, seven new vehicles and two transit garages in tandem with the new route.
The Federal Government invested over $3.3 million and First Kaska prvided over $303 thousand to support the expansion.
Liard First Nation Chief Stephen Charlie said the expansion will provide a vital service in areas of the territory where there aren’t any safe public transportation options.
“One of the biggest benefits of this is safety. We have so many of our vulnerable individuals within the communities that do not have access to comfortable, safe transportation,” said Chief Charlie. “By establishing this service, we can lessen the hazards faced by our most vulnerable, especially women and girls, and provide a much-needed resource for medical and shopping trips.”
The new route will launch early next year and is expected to operate twice a week and cost roughly the same $298 roundtrip ticket cost as the Watson Lake route.
Chief Charlie and First Kaska CEO Jasper Lamourelle both discussed possible future expansions into Haines Junction, Ross River and Faro depending on support.
“We’ve been at it for five years, and it’s sustained ourselves from Watson to Whitehorse. We think the communities in between and including Dawson to Whitehorse will give enough interest,” said Lamourelle. “Hopefully our our busses are full so that we can continue that service in the future.”
