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Recent Bus Route Changes Leave Seniors Struggling
Sault Ste. Marie residents are speaking out after major changes to the city’s bus routes left seniors, daily riders, and entire neighbourhoods struggling to get where they need to go. The redesigned system introduced earlier this year, has sparked confusion, longer travel times, and growing frustration among people who rely on transit every day.
At a protest outside City Hall, seniors described losing independence after routes they depended on for years were altered or removed.
Many say the new system forces them to walk farther in winter, navigate confusing detours, or spend hours completing basic errands like grocery shopping.
Riders from Manitou Park say the changes hit their neighbourhood especially hard, eliminating direct access to shopping, medical appointments, and the downtown core.
Protesters argue the redesign was created without listening to the people who use transit the most.
\They say consultants unfamiliar with Sault travel patterns wiped out key sections of routes, added long detours with no stops, and created a system that “goes everywhere but not anywhere.” Some residents now rely on family members for rides, something they never had to do before — and worry that isolation among seniors will grow if the city doesn’t act quickly.
Community members are calling for the city to temporarily restore the old routes, hold public meetings, and work directly with riders to fix the system. They say the Sault needs a transit network that reflects how people actually live, shop, and move around the city — not one built without local input.
