Mr. Speaker, our government understands that VIA Rail has an important role to play in providing Canadians with a safe intercity travel option. It does so across a vast network that spans from Halifax to Vancouver. VIA's western transcontinental service, the Canadian, crosses the prairie provinces on its route from Toronto to Vancouver, serving many communities along the way. Our government recognizes the importance of this service to the people who use it and the role it plays in connecting our country.
We also recognize that for some communities—for example, Churchill, Manitoba—passenger rail is the only viable option for connecting to other communities. This is why when service to Churchill was cut off, we knew we needed to act to have it restored, and now passenger rail service has returned to the community.
While it serves an important role, passenger rail is just one of the many ways that Canadians travel between communities. In a country as vast and spread out as Canada, it is inevitable that the passenger rail network will not reach all communities.
For decades, many Canadians have relied on intercity bus services to get them where they need to go. The withdrawal of Greyhound from nearly all of western Canada and northern Ontario in October 2018 was, and continues to be, a big loss for Canadian travellers, especially Canadians living in rural and remote areas. Our government recognizes the seriousness of this issue, and while we are encouraged that several operators have stepped in to pick up former Greyhound routes, gaps in service still remain. This is why, on October 31, we announced our willingness to partner with the affected provinces to fill service gaps on a temporary and cost-shared basis. Federal money is on the table, and the member opposite's provincial Conservative government is refusing to use it to help the people of Saskatchewan.
In terms of indigenous transportation needs, we also committed to supporting indigenous peoples by providing vital transportation services to their communities.
Over the next year, we will continue collaborating with the provinces and territories to develop innovative, longer-term solutions to address the intercity surface transportation needs of Canadians. Together, we are aiming to ensure that our passenger transportation system is safe and efficient and provides excellent service.